The Modifyers 2: The spy with my face
by Modifyers Hq
Summary: Old villains return, new ones emerge and heros, Xero and Zero, must keep Forgo City safe. Please read the first storie and see the tv pilot on YouTube. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1:A Duke,a Count & a Good sir

I'm back, and so are The Modifyers, in this continuing story.

Of course as always I don't own the Modifyers, they belong to Chris Reccardi and Lynne Naylor. All other rights belong to there respective owners.

* * *

Zack played with his copper coated robotic hand, he made his hand into a fist for the hundredth time, the same last gesture he did with his organic one. He then opened his palm and took another look around the squared table.

3 unknown humanoids sat at the end of the table and Vein at the head with Rat sittings on the floor by his side. Zack himself in somewhere between the humanoids and Rat.

Vein stood up impatiently, "all were waiting for is…" he said before he was cut off by the sound of the opening door above the staircase followed by a yell.

"Dad, I'm home!" said the voice.

Zack rolled his eyes remembering how Mr. Hyde was able to give him what he wanted, a new hand, but also give Vein what he wanted. Lacey Shadows. 'A clone actually, created for a few hairs' Zack reminded himself. Nevertheless, stronger, faster, and more dangerous than the original.

Vein even told her he was her adoptive father and not her co-creator.

"Ahh, my little minion," Vein said as though he really was her father, "I was about to call you" he said.

Excitedly she asked "are we ready to make our plans against those Agent's? "

Vein shook his head yes as he turned to the 3 humanoids. "cruel men, meet my daughter and henchmen, Lacey, Zackory and Rat."

He then gestured to the humanoids, "And these are 3 are the Duke of Pherome VII, the Count of Odgensvelt IX, and the Good sir Phelchngnam Quvvekt XXIII."

Zack looked at the 3. The Duke was a dragoned face creature with long sharp claws. The Count had the appearance of a giant toad covered in warts that had learned to stand up right. And the good sir towered above the others, but just as ugly, witha twisted beard and a large pot belly. All 3 of them wore suits and top hats as though to signify there power and wealth to others.

"Lets get down to the arangments then" Vein said as he took control of the meeting.


	2. Chapter 2: Intro

I am so sorry about the long wait, I've been busy with school, finishing projects and easy, all the fun stuff. But I'm back with another chapter.

As always I don't own the Modifyers, they belong to Chris Reccardi and Lynne Naylor. All other rights belong to there respective owners.

* * *

I'm agent Xero, master of disguise. My modeluar partner Mole and best friend Zero are part of a mystery cracking team known as The Modifyers.

We work around the clock to foil the sckemes of Baron Vain and his gooney leaguen of henchmen.

* * *

"It's good to see you back on your feet" Katz said to Xero.

"Well you know, Katz always land on there feet" she said chuckling over her joke.

Katz looked at her, uflinching and mildly annoyed. After a moment of silence Katz finally said "the reason I called you here is to give you your next assignment" he said as he handed her a beige envelope. "Since we caught Lord Schmelting, he's been talking, in exchange for moving to another prison."

"Huhu" Xero mumbled as she casually flipped through the pages in the envelope.

Katz continued, "I've already had Mole move your guys luggage to one of our base blimps."

"Right" Xero said as she turned to leave.

"Mole, Zero and you should be ready to leave within the hour" he said.

Xero stoped and turned to him. "Zero still going to be working with us?" she asked. "Why hasn't he been assigned a M.O.L.E unit to go on his own mission?"

"I just think you two make a good team."

Xero smiled and twirlied the end of her hair on her finger. 'I guess we do' she thought.

"unless" Katz continued "he's going to be a burden to you and Mole I can…"

"No!" Xero said quickly "he's no burden" she said as she stumbled her way out of his office.


	3. Chapter 3: Another fight

As always I don't own the Modifyers, they belong to Chris Reccardi and Lynne Naylor. I do own Zero. Feel free as always to leave a comment. I always write this justin case.

* * *

Zero felt a quick surge of pain as he was thrown against the wall. He slowly turned his head to look at his attacker.

The brutish, poorly done buzz cut, agent looked back at him with little disregard for him in his eyes.

"If you can beat up Zack, and I can beat you up, that means I could've beat up Zack" said the agresive agent.

"Only someone like you could come to a conclusion like that." Zero said as he instinctively brought up both his hands to defend himself.

Zero thought back to how many people have dared him to a fight to prove themselves. 'I won't fight, I will defend' he thought, not wanting to make things worse.

Quickly the agent pulled out a pair of experimental electric binders and lached one on Zero's hand, breaking him from his thoughts.

Before he could react the agent through the other end over a low hanging water pipe, laching it on to his other hand.

Zero tugged as hard as he could at his binders, panaking to get free.

He watched helpless as the agent cocked his arm back, ready to beat Zero down.

Zero closed his eyes, expecting pain to rocket through his face and body.

"Hey idiot" a voice said. Zero opened his eyes and he and his attacker both turned there heads and saw Xero with her flamethrower pointed at the attacker.

Within a moment she had gave him a tast of what her weapon could do by melting the shoes on his feet. As quickly as he had attacked, he ran away faster.

Xero stood in front of Zero. "Another fight" she asked.

"yea" Zero admitted, "but I did have everything under control" he quietly added, hoping Xero hadn't heard that.

"Then I should leave" Xero said syly as she turned to leave.

"Wait" Zero said quickly as he looked down at his feet feeling embarrassed. "I need your help."

Xero lifted up his head by his chin, and then looked at the binders. She reconsidered them from Niki's lab and remember the trick.

"Alright" she said. "Just relax and the binders will release you."

Zero took a moment trying to relax.

"Breath in, breath out, breath in breath out" she said trying to help calm him. She could hear his breathing becauming in sync with hers.

Suddenly Zero fell to the floor as the binds suddenly released him. He sat there for a moment rubbing his wrist. "Thanks" he said.

"No problem" she said as she offered her hand helping him up.

As they walked away from the hallway Xero couldn't help but ask him a question.

"Do you think we make a good team?"


	4. Chapter 4: Veiw above the clouds

Sorry for the wait. Finals in school and a family trip have been keeping me one my toes. But here it is.

As always I don't own the Modifyers, they belong to Chris Reccardi and Lynne Naylor. All other rights belong to there respective owners.

* * *

Zero looked down, awestruck form the Modi-blimp as HQ shrank the higher they went.

"How was Zack unable to lead Vein back to HQ?" Zero asked as he sat down on the guard ledge.

Xero sat down next to him, not bothering to answer his question, but after a few moments he understood the answer.

The blimp had gone up so high, it was soon above the clouds.

"No way of knowing where we are based" Xero said finally breaking the silence.

For a long moment they bo th sat there in silence watching the early mornings pink clouds slowly drift around them.

"It's beautiful up here" Zero mumbled.

"I know" Xero calmly agreed.

She then turned to him for a moment, unsure if she wanted the answer to her question.

She calmly put her hand on his forearm, "Zero" she said.

"yea" he responded.

"I...I need to ask you something" she asked hesitatly.

"Ask me anything" he said.

"Zero, if I had stayed as Lacey Shadows, if I didn't turn back...what would you have done?"

Zero sat there looking down in silence, unsure how to answer her question. "I don't know" he finally said as he put his hand over his forearm and her hand. "But what I do know is that we don't ever have to worry about that."

Xero smiled at his remark, even if it wasn't a straight answer.

"Lets not let the past ruin our future" Zero said.

Xero looked at him for a moment after he said 'our future'.

"Xero, Zero" they heard Mole from behind them. "Time for the mission brefing" he said.

"Right" Zero said as he got up, offering his hand to Xero.

Xero turned to the clouds, still thinking about our future and taking in the view once again.

Reluctantly she took his hand, with another question instead of an answer.


	5. Chapter 5: The mission

I don't own the Modifyers, they belong to Chris Reccardi and Lynne Naylor. All other rights belong to there respective owners.

* * *

Zero handed Xero a mug of vanilla tea as he took his seat around the round table. Mole waited till Zero finally sat down to start. He pulled up the beige envelope that Katz had gave Xero, and opened it.

"Since Lord Schmelting was captured" Mole stated "he's been talking, and we've down at HQ have put together that Vain and his league of henchmen are planning to steal the rare Red Fire Dimond from the ForgoCity Museum."

"How long is it going to be in town" Xero asked.

"3 days. Your mission is to go undercover as guards to keep the dimond safe and if you can catch Vain and any of his henchmen."

"Eazy enough" Zero said.

"Not exactly" Mole said "the museum guards don't know your undercover agents, and it's best that it stay that way."

"We should check out the

museum" Xero said enthusiastically.

"Right" Zero agreed.

They both put down there mugs and walked to the Modi-pod that would take them to an empty alley of the city.

"Time to be a hero" Xero said as the pod started it's decent.


	6. Chapter 6: Lacey vs Zack

I am so sorry about the long wait, but for the last week I've been considering and reconsidering what direction I want the story to go, but I believe I have it all figured out. Thank you all for your patience.

* * *

"So then we have an agreement" Vein said as he, the Duke, the Count and the Good sir all sat up from their chairs and shook hands with one another.

Across the table Lacey and Zack gave one another death stares, filled with malice for the other. They both turned and saw the Duke, Good sir, and the Count leave the room.

"We are going to check out the museum" the Good sir said as they all grabbed trench coats and left the room.

As soon as they left Zack turned to Vein and said bluntly "I want Zero and Xero dead."

Immediately Lacey got up, "all right, lets fight" she said "I want him alive and Xero alive"

"Why?!" Zack asked angrily.

"Of all people you should know. Zero is faster and stronger than he looks, and I want to be the one that breaks him down" she argued.

"He took my hand" Zack yelled as he lifted up his copper hand. Suddenly Zack put 2+2 together. 'Zero and Xero are best friends; and Xero told me they are together (A.N:Xero lied) and Lacey is a copy of Xero…'

"Your soft for him" Zack said accusingly, unsure if Lacey felt intimate or friendly to Zero.

Instantly Lacey face turned red like fire. "No" she said defensively, "I want them both to know that they cannot destroy me, that I'm in control of their destiny."

"No" Zack combacked "you're just like any 18 year old. You're jealous of what Xero has, friends, and you want that for yourself. You're nothing more than a pathetic child" he said, his words getting under her skin.

"Enough" she said as light tears started streaming down her face as she pulled out her flamethrower; it looked like the one Zero had gave Xero, except decked out in Lacey's colors of black and blue.

Zack smiled devilishly over what he considered to be a victory.

"Enough" Vein said "Lacey out ranks you Zackory, so when you do meet Zero or Xero, do not destroy them… or else" Vein said threateningly.

Zack didn't protest. He knew better than to argue with Vein. As he turned to Lacey he saw a devilish smile on her face over what she considered to be a victory.


	7. Chapter 7:The Museum

Ladies and gentlemen, this story has now hit +100 plus views and that is just awesome. I really do enjoy writing to people who are willing to read my work :)

On a side not fanfiction only allows me to reply to comments if the commenter has an comment. But let me assure you all that all plot threads do have an ending. I am not making things up as I go along, some days I do have dry spells, but all questions will eventually be answered.

As always I don't own the Modifyers, they belong to Chris Reccardi and Lynne Naylor. Always feel free to leave a comment.

* * *

"Pretty minimal security for a rare diamond" Zero said as he and Xero looked at it from behind protective glass.

"You should have read the intel paper" she said joyfully mocking him.

"I would have if you gave it to me instead of you trying to memorize it" he combated

Xero rolled her eyes. "3 favors says I have it completely memorized" she said as she handed him the intel paper.

"Deal" Zero said amused.

"Well… the diamond is surrounded by lasers that could cut through flesh, a silent alarm is triggered if the crown is lifted off from the scale underneath, so cops would be here within about 2 minutes, and let's not forget about the cameras."

Zero turned and looked at a camera as it looked back at him with suspicious lenses.

"Hows that for trying to memorize" she said sarcastically as she played with the ends of her hair.

"Ok, I was wrong, you do have it memorized" he said admittingly.

"And that's why you owe me 3 favors" she said as she poked him on the nose. "1st, you're paying for lunch today. 2nd, you're going to get rid of the bow ties for a week" she said.

"That's oddly specific. Well what about your 3rd favor?" he asked.

"I'll save that one for a rainy day" she said. As they walked out of the museum, 3 men in trench coats pushed their way through the crowds to the Emerald Diamond.


	8. Chapter 8: Favor Number 1

Thats right for +100 plus views i'm posting 2 chapters. Yes I know there a little short, but it's just build up for what's to come. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

"Ok, were here" Zero said as he removed his hands from Xero's eyes.

She looked at the old shop building. "The hat and tie shop" she said out loud.

"Well one of your favors is that I ditch the bow tie for a week, and so I figure you might as well be one who chooses the tie" Zero explained.

Xero smiled from cheek to cheek and wiped away a few tears of joy from her eyes. "All right let's find one that suits you" she said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the shop.

Inside she watched in wonder as she saw all the ties, bow ties and hats hanging on every square inch of the shop, all in varieties of colors and designs.

As she watched in wonder, a small elderly man walked up to them and asked "What can I do for you nice couple this afternoon?"

"Let's see what kind of ties you have that will suit him" Xero said pointing to Zero.

The old man looked at him for a moment as though examining him "Right" he said as he left to retrieve a few.

As soon as he was gone Xero turned to her partner and whispered "Did he just call us a couple?"

"Well we are in a men's hat and tie shop. I guess the only time women come in is if their a couple or a mom forcing her son in a suit" Zero tried to explain, both to Xero and himself.

"ahhh" Xero said taking comfort and accepting the explanation.

* * *

Xero watched as Zero tried on another tie and turned her.

She swirled her finger around as he obeyed, but asked again "Is the turn really necessary for a tie?"

"I just want to make sure you have the right tie" she explained. As he turned she noticed his belt was the one she had gave him, the Morph belt 2.0, though it was a step down from the one he made. 'and yet he still wears it' she thought happily.

* * *

"All right seven ties left, which one are you going to pick" Zero asked.

Xero looked at the seven, thinking which one she liked the most. "Alright" she finally said. "Well take all seven."

Zero looked at her confused and surprised.

"Well I didn't say you had to wear only one tie for a week. Besides" she said as she pulled out a striped blue tie "I don't want my partner looking like a hobo. Again."

"So you admit that you called me a hobo" he said.

"Not really a confession" she said playfully.

* * *

"You know" Xero said as they walked out of the shop, ties in hand, "We still haven't had lunch"

Zero looked at his watch "2 pm. We still have time."

"And don't forget your paying" Xero said as she grabbed onto his tie, leading him to the food district, back to Chao Food.


	9. Chapter 9: Friend's Within

Another chapter in the continuing Modifyers story. Reminder I don't own the Modifyers. If you wanted to know when the most recent chapters are posted, follow the story.

Zack and Lacey waited inside the club, The Fancy Penguin, but to Lacey the place was anything but that. She looked in disgust at the gray puddles on the floor from unknown liquids, the flies flying about landing on anything that looked like food, and food that not even starving inmates would be able to stomach.

Zack turned as he saw who, and more importantly what, he was looking for.

"Malcolm" he greeted as his friend finally walked in.

"Zack" he greeted back. "You can't believe how good is it to see you again"

"Well we knew one of us was bound to leave the agency" Zack said nonchalantly.

Malcolm took a seat besides Zack and then turned his attention to Lacey. "Well hello beautiful, you hanging out with this loser" he asked as he pointed to Zack.

"Takes one to know one" Zack combacked.

"No we're not hanging out" Lacey explained. "Our boss, and your current employer, has assigned me to keep an eye on you and your group over this mission"

"How is the group?" Zack asked

"As you expect, since you left Katz has been keeping an sharp eye on us, but tonight The Wolves shall prevail" Malcolm said excited.

"The Wolves" Lacey asked confused.

"It's what me and my buddy's call ourselves" Zack explained.

"Right now Zack is going Lone Wolf, but I've talked to the rest of the pack and were ready back you up tonight" Malcolm said.

Zack turned to him with a grave face. "Did you get what we need, and does anyone know that you have it?" he asked.

"Of course" Malcolm assured him. "There's no lock that's a match against Locks" he said with pride as he handed Zack a bag.

Zack looked at the bag with glee in his eyes. "You staying for lunch, my treat" he asked.

"Tempting offer, but I got to get going before Katz catches on, but we'll see you tonight" Malcolm said as he got up from his chair to leave.

Zack turned to him before he could leave. "Hey Malcolm" he said.

Malcolm turned back to him as he and Zack both let out a long wolf like howl. Lacey turned shielding her face, embraced to be seen with the two 'macho men.'

As soon as Malcolm was out Lacey turned to Zack and said "Really, I'm never coming out with you and your friends again."

"Like I take you out anywhere" Zack said coldly as he grabbed the bag Malcolm gave him.

As they walked out of the club, Zack took out the prize from the bag. "Zero's morph belt" he said smiling a sinister smile from cheek to cheek.


	10. Chapter 10: Favor Number 2

Hey everyone, I know this is a short chapter, but I've spent last week writing out longer, more important chapters, so just hang in there for the longer chapters.

* * *

"You really think I'll admit to that" Xero laughed as she placed a toothpick into her mouth.

"Your a Modifyer agent, basically a cop with more expensive equipment. Your suppose to serve, protect and admit to your wrong doings" Zero argued back.

"Ok, ok" she said defeated. "I confess to not, not, not calling my partner a hobo the first day we met."

Zero looked at her, unsure where to go from there. "That was a false confession, wasn't it" he finally asked.

She gave him a sly smile. "You're going to have to try harder to get a confession Agent" she said playfully.

Before Zero could say anything back, Xero's communicator ring went off. Quickly she pressed the center button activating it, revealing Mole on the other side.

"Mole" she greeted.

"Hey Xero, is Zero with you?" he asked.

"Of course" Zero said out of Mole's view.

"Ok" Mole said satisfied.

"What's the problem" Xero asked.

"Since the diamond's in town mayor Warheart and many civilians, includes some celebrities, will be seeing the diamond for its opening night, some sort of art visiting our beautiful, crime free city" Mole said putting emphasis on the words crime and free. "And Katz contacted me, to remind you that we do not need any unnecessary casualties or attention on our organization" Mole explained.

"Ok, keep the mayor and civilians safe" Zero said. He thought about something for a moment. "Are the people going to see the diamond or the celebrities?" he asked.

Mole just shrugged. "All I know is we need to keep them safe just like everybody else. So get back to the museum asap so we can make sure we're prepared for tonight."

"Right" Xero and Zero said in unison as Mole hanged up.

Zero quickly grabbed the bill and as they both got up to leave he asked her a quick question. "Ready to confess to your crimes?" he asked still determined to get a straight answer.

"Not even in a million years" she said back to him.

"Well you still got about 999,982 years left. Give or take" he said matter of factly.


	11. Chapter 11: A Night to Remember

Zero looked himself up and down in the mirror, already decked out in a museum security uniform, from his tan button up shirt to his pitched black pants and his black security cap.

"Well doesn't someone look spiffy" Xero said as she walked into the room also wearing a uniform. "Who's the lucky lady" she asked sarcastically.

"Well, you never know. There might be some pretty women tonight.

Xero just stood there and rolled her eyes.

"You know women just go crazy over a man with a sewn on badge and a flashlight" he said.

"Ok, come along James Bond, Mole's already in the surveillance room" she said as she took his arm and lead him to Mole.

* * *

Mole watched as people started to trickle into the museum, not a single one aware that there safety could be in danger, or that an unknown organization known as the Modifyers were watching over them. 'It's too bad' Mole thought.

He turned as Xero and Zero walked into the room. "All right, we're all here, let's review the agenda."

Zero and Xero both rolled their eyes, already knowing the procedure up and down. Zero spoke up, "I'll be on the balcony over watching the diamond."

"I'll be on the ground level keeping an eye on the mayor and making sure he, or anyone else don't just disappear" Xero said.

"And you'll be the grand birds eye view" Xero and Zero said in unison to Mole.

"Right, and you both have your communicators on?" Mole asked. They both tapped their inner ear until they heard 2 beeps.

"How long is this shift" Zero asked.

"From 6-10, then you two get a 2 hour break, and then from 12-5" Mole said nonchalantly.

"I think we're going to need something a lot stronger than tea" Xero told Zero as they left the surveillance room, both going to their separate positions.

* * *

Xero watched the clock click away like a chisel on granite. "7 minutes down, so many more to go" she said bored.

She looked up and saw Zero at his position, leaning on a nere by pillar trying to get into a comfortable position.

Xero turned towards the doors as she heard cameras clicking. Instantly she recognized the center of the crowds attention.

"That's mayor Warheart?" she heard Zero ask over the communicator.

"Yea" she comformed.

They both looked at the 5'9" sized man in the blue suit. His hair parted to the side, with light gray streaming through his dark chocolate colored hair.

"So are we guarding him or is he guarding us" Zero said still shocked by the mayor's appearance. "You know I thought we were protecting a very old, old, old man."

"Technically I'm more guarding him and and the civilians and you're just instant back up" she said jokingly.

"ahhh, I'm your wingman" he said back.

"Well, you're the best, best wingman that is" she said.

"That's what I'm here for, to make you look good. Easiest job ever" he said.

Xero felt her face turn red and hot. She looked around and saw a refreshments table. "Well I'll talk to you later, after you're done crying" she said as she left the communicator conversation and walked over to the table.

"Can I have a water" she asked the table manager. The man handed her the water bottle that she chugged within a millisecond trying to cool her warm face.

"Can my friend here have another water" she heard a woman's voice say.

Xero turned and saw a woman in a long black dress, probably in her early 40's sitting next to her.

"O. Thank you" Xero said as she was handed another water bottle.

"No problem" the woman said "It's just that your face is as red as a fire hydrant."

"Well there are a lot of people here, making the room very warm" Xero explained.

"O, I just assumed you were red from crying or laughing" the woman explained.

"Crying?" Xero asked surprised that someone thought she was crying. "I'm more happy than anything else."

"And why are you happy?" the woman asked sincerely

Xero was silent for a moment, unsure if she should tell the stranger more. "I have good friends" Xero finally said "they know how to make me happy about coming to work everyday."

"I guess you need good friends with great attitudes for a job like this" the woman said.

"Yeeaa" Xero said agreeing to the half truth.

I use to have friends like that" the woman said as she reminisced of another time.

"Who are you?" Xero finally asked breaking the woman out of her memories. "You look familiar too me."

"My name is Susan Shadows" Xero looked at her shocked.

"Susan Shadows, as in tv star character Lady Shadows?!"

"The very same, you know I only got the role because of my convent last name" Susan said.

"I use to watch your show when I was a kid! What have you been up to recently" Xero asked as though she was catching up with an old friend.

"Retirement, and of course a few selective appearances."

Before Xero could ramble about her childhood Susan cut her off before she could even start. "Hey, before you go all fan girl on me, let me impart some hard learned wisdom to you…"

Xero leaned in intently to her what she had to say.

"Life can sometimes be awful and ugly like a desert, but the right friends can make your life as beautiful as an oasis" Susan said.

Xero pondered over what she had been told. She turned a s Susan got up from her seat.

"Where are you going" Xero asked curiously.

"Gonna go talk to a few other friends. As should you" she said as she walked away.

Xero sat their and just smiled. 'If what she says is true, then my life is already an oasis' she thought as she reactivated her communicator.

"Yea" Zero asked from the other side.

"I spy with my little eyes something blue."

She held her breath as she heard only silence from his end.

"Is it the mayor's suit" he asked.


	12. Chapter 12: A Plan in Motion

Lacey looked at her reflection up and down the window next to her, a feeling of disgust in her stomach. She hated it all. The white mod mini dress with bell sleeves, the black pants and expectually of all the white go-go boots.

"Why can't I were the Morph belt" she asked again.

"Because you already look like Xero" Zack explained. "Why are you complaining anyways, you got your loathsome cloths under all that" he retorted.

Zack activated his communicator. "Malcolm, are you and the others ready?"

"Ready, just waiting for the signal" came the response through the communicator.

"I hope they can handle this job, for your sake" Lacey reminded him with a hint of a threat hidden within.

Zack turned and gave her a dirty look.

* * *

"So you're telling me you haven't seen Casablanca yet?!" Xero asked amazed.

"Xero... it's a 40 year old film"Zero said defensively.

"Annnd it's already a classic"

Zero rolled his eyes over her enthusiasm.

"And don't roll your eyes over this serious matter" she said in a mock lecture voice.

"You can see me?" he asked.

"I know you well enough" she responded back.

"But you can see me, as I can see you" he said matter of factly.

"Besides the point, after this mission you and me are going to have a movie night"

"Does this count as your final favor" he asked already knowing the answer.

"Of course not. It counts as me doing you a favor" she matter of factly.

"Fine" he said knowing he wouldn't win this "but next movie night I'm picking the movie."

"Deal" she said as both of their attentions was turned towards the mayor as he walked to a microphone by the diamond.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Forgo City, today all of us have the great pleasure of viewing this precious emerald diamond and I am honored and genuinely very proud to be invited here today by the museum's curators. But today I want to remind us want to remind us all to look inside ourselves and others, and find the beauty within us all. A beauty so strong that compared to this diamond, this diamond is just a rock on the beach." he stood there reflecting on his words. "I wish you all the very best, now and forever."

Xero clapped along with the crowd of people in support. She looked up and even saw Zero clapping along.

* * *

Zack watched as the crowd continued to clap. "Time for the signal" he said as he lit the fuse of a large firework. Zack and Lacey both watched as the firework quickly climbed through the sky and popped the color blood red in the dark sky

* * *

The Duke, Count and Good Sir watched the sky as for a brief moment it was lit by a lone firework.

"It's time" the Good Sir said as the 3 of them entered the building they had been scoping out.

"Forgo City Maximum Security Prison" the Duke said with a sinister grin on his face.

As soon as they walked in a guard came up to stop them. "Sorry gentlemen, but visiting hours are from nine till-." The guard never finished as the trio put on gas masks and started throwing gas canisters throughout the halls, knocking all the guards out cold.

"Let's hurry up" said the Duke.

* * *

Malcolm watched from behind the muusium as the sky turned red from a line firework.

It's time" he said to the wolf pack as he got out of the dark blue van with a baseball bat.

Malcolm looked down at a window leading into the basement. Within a second he had kicked in the window and was inside. He looked at museum's fuse box. "It's time to party" he said as he turned off all the switches. He then picked up the bat and destroyed the fuse box. He looked at his work. "Not bad" he said as he slithered through the broken window, slightly, and unknowingly cuting his palm on the broken glass.

* * *

Zack and Lacey watched as all the lights suddenly shut off from there vantage point.

"It's time" he said as he actuvated the Morph belt. "How do I look" he asked Lacey.

"Just like Zero."


	13. Chapter 13: A Night to Remember part 2

Sorry about the long wait, but with school continuing, I had to put off writing chapters for a bit, but I'm still going to continue the story.

"I'm blind up here" Mole yelled in a panicked voice.

"Don't worry" Zero said trying to stay calm. "Xero, do you still see the mayor?"

Xero looked through the darkness and could barely make out the outline of the mayor's silhouette. "Yea, well I mean… kinda" she said unsure.

"Keep your eyes on him" Mole said sternly. "I'm heading down to the basement to try and clean up this mess. Zero stay where you're at, you are now our eyes in the sky for now."

"Right" Zero said with a false air of confidence.

"You'll be fine Eagle Eye" Xero said trying to asure him.

"Hey" Zero said accusingly "if you picked my code name, then I should be able to pick yours."

"Fine, what you got?" she asked.

"how about Blue eyes"

She rolled her Blue Eyes. "That the best you got" she asked.

"Didn't know I was being tested. Kinda on the spot right now, Pumpkin."

She thought about that code name for a second. "Better, but only slightly. But if anything you should be called Pumpkin, you perfume smells like one."

"Well in that case, you should be called Strawberry" he retorted.

Xero just rolled her eyes as she got to the microphone on the podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing some technical difficulties, I please advise you all to remain calm until we have the situation under control" she said calming down the rowdy crowd.

"Nice job… Strawberry" Zero said over the communicator. Xero just rolled her eyes again.

Suddenly there was a loud, gun like boom from one of the large windows over head on the 9th floor of the museum. Instinctively the crowd panicked, running to and fro with no clear idea where to go.

"Guys, what's going on up there" Mole asked over the communicator.

Zero looked up at the window and could barely make out the two silhouettes. "2 individuals" he said as he squinted trying to make out anything else. "One male, they other female… I think. Both on the 9th floor." He then turned to the staircase. "I'm going up to them before they can come down to us."

"Not without me you aren't" Xero said sternly.

"What about the diamond" Mole protested as Xero ran towards a vase, pushing it with one hand and catching it with the other, triggering a silent alarm.

"Let the cops deal with it" Xero declared. "Until then, Mole your on diamond protection" she said as she started running up the staircase.

The rookie cop looked at the clock inside the practice room his superior had left him in, leaving the rookie on a lecture over when gas should be used and how to correctly apply a gas mask.

'That was nearly 15 minutes ago' the rookie thought as he fearfully exited the room, taser gun in hand, taking it one baby step at a time.

He looked down the hall and saw a warm sliver of light within the dark hallway. He held his breath for a moment and mustered up all the courage he could. He quickly turned toward the door and kicked it open and fired his taser gun.

He opened his eyes, surprised and happy to see that he had hit nothing but the wall, and that the only other soul in the room was the chief on the floor, knocked out by the gas.

"It's all in your head" he told himself as he went to the wall and retracted the taser probes, putting them back into the gun.

"But who leaked out all this gas" he asked out loud.

"That would be me" said a voice behind him.

The rookie turned around quickly and was face to face with some kind of squat human toad like hybrid in a suit and top hat.

"MONSTER" he yelled as he fired his taser at the creature. The probes struck his skin and unleashed a large bolt of electricity into him, but he only kicked his leg up, as though he were some sort of high school science project.

The monster just looked at him and started walking towards him. The rookie backed away as the monster got closer, but he soon found his back against the wall.

He held his breath as the monster stood directly in front of him, so close he could smell his putrid breath.

"I am rubber, you are glue whatever you say bounces off me" the monster said as he quickly pulled the taser probes from himself and thrust them into the rookie cop's chest. "And sticks onto you" he said smiling wickedly.

The monster then turned his attention to the police chief lying on the floor. He grabbed his keys to the prison cells off of his belt and left the office.

The Duke and the Good Sir both turned as the Count walked to them, keys in hand.

"What took you so long" the Duke asked.

"I had to do a shocking amount of work to get you these keys" the Count sneered.

The Good Sir ignored the Count's protest as he snached the keys and opened the two steel doors in front of them. Behind the 2nd door were prison bars, and sitting in the dark was Lord Schmelting.

He looked up at them and asked in a steady calm voice "Did Vein send you here to rescue me, or to kill me?"

The 3 of them looked at him solemnly. Finally the Duke said "You're lucky, Vein needs you alive"

"You just made early parole" the Count said chipperly.


	14. Chapter 14: Unexpected Reunion

I am soooooooo sorry about the long wait, I've been busy lately with school work, and this weekend has been harsh, but I worked when I could to make this chapter perfect. It's what you've been asking for, so enjoy :)

* * *

Xero looked down at the hall and saw a feminine silhouette. "Zero, are you there?"

"Yea I'm here, but i'm still on the 4th floor" he said. "Are you already on the 9th!?" he asked concerned.

Xero took another look down the hall. "I can see one of them right now" she whispered.

"Xero.. please wait for me...please" he pleaded.

Xero looked down the hall. "Alright" she said reluctantly as she kept her eyes on the silhouette as though it could disappear.

Zero looked up at the stairs and took a deep sigh as he started sprinting up them, failing to see the figure hidden within the shadows.

Zack watched as Zero sprinted up the stairs and for a moment considered attacking his enemy, but thought wiser of that. 'I still have a job to do' Zack thought as he continued his descent.

* * *

(A)

Zack watched as the mayor and an unknown woman in a long black dress were directing as much people as they could to the exits. "This way!" and "Don't panic!" was all he could hear them say. "Pathetic" he said as he switch the knobs on the Morph belt, turning from Zero to a police officer. He quickly has his way to the mayor. "Mayor Warheart, we need to get you out of the building."

"Not until everyone else is out" he objected.

"Sir, we have no time for this, I'll have men here if a few minutes, but first we need to get you out of here."

The mayor looked at him for a moment, unsure of his choice.

"Your safety is of high priority" Zack continued.

The mayor reluctantly shook his head as he accepted the situation. "Let's go then."

Before the mayor could take a step forward Zack stopped him. "There's a back door that's not as crowded" he said as he lead the way towards the back of the museum.

* * *

The mayor looked around surprised to see the back doors of the museum empty of people but thought nothing of it. "This isn't what I wanted at all" he said sadly. "But at least everyone is safe" he said taking solace from that.

"That's not exactly true" Zack said mockingly gloom.

"Who was hurt?" the mayor as concerned as he heard a beeping sound from the officer's belt.

"YOU" Zack said quickly as he socked the mayor on the side of his head.

The mayor, dazed from the blow threw an instant punch at his attacker, striking his gut. The mayor watched in shock and horror as his attackers appearance changed for a moment, from a cop to a blonde hair teen. "who are you?" he asked before he was knocked on the side of the head by a baseball bat. Zack looked at Malcolm standing over the mayor, his bat over his shoulder.

"I had him" Zack said.

"Of course you did chief, I just finished the job" he retorted.

"Job's not over until you get him out of here"

"Right" Malcolm said as he gave a hand signal to the rest of the wolf pack to pull over the van and help with the unconscious mayor.

"Good luck" Malcolm said as Zack ran back inside, turning the knobs on the Morph belt turning back into Zero.

"Xero!" he yelled.

* * *

(B) Events are parallel times to A

'Zero where are you' Xero thought as she waited behind her hiding spot. She listened as she could hear the silhouettes foot steps get closer and closer. 'Sorry Zero' she thought as she twirled, deactivating her disguise, and pulling out her flamethrower. Xero held her breath and waited until the sounds of the foot steps were right besides her.

"Modifyers agent" she said as she jumped from her hiding spot, now directory in front of the criminal. "You are under-" her words trailed off as she now had a closer look of the assailant, from her pink hair, to her nearly identical white dress and go-go boots. It was like looking into a mirror.

The figure in front of her smiled sinisterly as she removed her pink wig.

"Lacey" Xero said in a weak voice.

"In the flesh" she said mockingly.

Xero shook her head as though it would make her go away. "No,no,no,no...y-y-you can't be real" she stammered.

"O, but I am" Lacey said as she lightly pushed Xero whose legs were already on the brink of clasping. She fell like a bundle of wheat.

Lacey took a step back as she pulled out her flamethrower, keeping it inches from Xero's nose. "Now you'll know whats its like to not exist!" Lacey said with a deep dark malice in her voice.

Lacey suddenly felt a cold chill on her neck.

"Thats enough from you" a familiar voice said.

Lacey didn't dare turn her head but instinctively recognized the voice. "Hello Love" she said with false joy.

Xero shook her head again as though she was breaking away from a trance. She looked behind Lacey and saw Zero standing behind her with his cold gun against her neck.

Xero quickly collected her flamethrower and was standing besides Zero within a moment.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Yea, I'll be fine" she reassured.

Zero turned his attention back to the criminal. "Turn around slowly" he commanded.

"Trust me you don't want to see her face, she has one of those ugly mugs" Xero said hoping a joke would calm her nerves and prepare Zero's.

Lacey turned around slowly, and shock crossed across Zero's face. Zero tried to hid his shock but failed to keep it out of his voice. "She has your face" he said whispered to Xero.

"Yep, she has my face" Xero said as she mentally tried to get a handle of all of this. "What are you" she finally asked.

"Simple" Lacey said with pride "I'm better then you. I'm a stronger, smarter, better healer, more durable version of you that you can never be."

"For a superior being you got captured pretty easily" Xero said feeling her nerves finally calming down. 'Just think of her as a completely different person' Xero told herself.

Lacey looked at her angrily.

Suddenly they heard someone from the first floor yell "Xero!"

Lacey turned her attention back to the agents. "Did I forget to mention I'm pretty dang fast" she said as she quickly snached Zero's cold gun from his hand, strong enough to pull it from his grasp.

Before either one of them could react Lacey froze both of there feet to the floor and Xero flamethrower to her hand.

"I'll be back for you guys in a bit" Lacey said as she started walking down the stairs, leaving Zero's cold gun out of reach of either one of them.

Xero and Zero just looked at each other in shock that Lacey was fast enough disarmed them in a matter of seconds.


	15. Chapter 15: Executing the Plan

Lacey refitted the pink wig on her head as she ran down the stairs to the first floor, back down to Zack and the diamond. "How it go with the mayor" she asked him as she reached him at the foot of the stairs.

"Exactly as planned" he said as he rubbed the side of his head, still a little woozy from his tussle with the mayor.

Lacey looked around surprised to see that everyone was gone.

"Where are Xero and Zero?" he asked curiously braking Lacey from her train of thought.

Lacey looked at him with distaste. "I'm not going to tell you that yet. We still got a diamond to steal."

Zack just turned away from her and mumbled some harsh words under his breath.

Lacey ignored his profanity as they both walked away from the stairs towards the diamond, protected only by Mole.

"Cameras still off" she asked under her breath.

"Yea"

"What about the power" she asked.

"Power stills off, but the emergency has probably kicked in" he whispered.

"I'll take care of that, you just have to take care of Mole" she whispered.

"No problem" he said as he kept his grip on the gun Vein had once gave him.

"Hey guys" Mole greeted unaware of they were impostors. "You guys already caught whoever caused this mess?"

"Not quite" the impostor Zero said as he pointed his weapon at Mole.

Mole only had a second, shock sprayed across his face as the force of Zack's weapon was powerful enough to push him across the room into another museum display. He felt as though he was hit by lightning. He fell into unconsciousness.

Zack smiled with glee at the storm gray colored gun, covered with bright blue lightning streaks. 'My lightning gun' he thought to himself amused.

Lacey walked across the room to the unconscious Mole and shoved him into a nearby vase. "Just chill in their for a while little 'buddie.'" She turned to Zack. "We don't have much time" she said.

"Let's get started then" he said.

"Right" Lacey said as she pointed her flamethrower burning a hole through the hardwood until she found it. "Jack pot" she said as she looked down the hole at the emergency power box. She quickly pulled at the wires, with only a quick, deadly burst of electricity ran through her spin with no effect. "You suppose the Duke and group has taken care of the cops?" she asked Zack.

"They've better or else I'm going to kill them before Vain does" he said.

They both got on parallel sides of the diamond case, spreading their hands onto the case, lifting it up like a fragile gift. They laid the glass case beside the display.

Lacey quickly grabbed the diamond before Zack could.

Zack gave her an angry look, as though any second now he was going to throw her under a bus. "Let's just finished the mission" he said between closed teeth.

Zero turned his head as he heard a loud crash from downstairs (Mole's crash). "What you suppose is going on down there" he asked Xero.

"I don't know" she said bluntly as she continued to slam her frozen hand onto the floor in an attempt to get free.

Zero sat in silence again looking at the frustration across Xero's face. He turned back to their frozen feet to the floor, and then back to his cold gun. 'Even if I could reach it it would be no good' he thought. "You know… last time we were in a situation like this we had blankets to help melt the ice."

Xero didn't respond as she continued to try and get free.

"That was the first time we had a genuine conversation" he added trying to get a response.

Suddenly Xero snapped at him. "Zero, not now! We need to get out of this and stop me before…" she stopped as she realized what she said.

"Is that's what bugging you" he asked as he wrap his arm around her shoulders.

Xero shook her head as she struggled to find her voice. "Aren't you afraid?"

"Yea" he reluctantly admitted. "I'm just better at hiding it."

"But Lacey-" Xero was about to argue.

Zero quickly cut her off. "Is not you. She's making her own decision now, and obviously not yours….. am I right" he said as he poked her side.

She couldn't help but chuckle a bit, feeling her mood rise.

"Well tell me" he said poking her again "was this your decision" he said pointing to his frozen feet. "Because if it was, I thinking I need my slippers" he said playfully.

"Yes" Xero said mockingly "This is my evil plan… to freeze your toes off"

"oooo… you are evil" he said mockingly.

They both laughed for what felt like forever. "So what are we going to do" she finally asked.

"We're going to get out of here, capture Lacey and then we're going home to watch casablanca" he said as he grabbed her frozen hand. "Ready" he asked as he lifted her arm like a boulder.

Xero shook her head in agreement.

"1...2...3" they said in unison as they both slammed the frozen block on the floor.

They both watched in shock as the block broke, freeing Xero's hand.

"Yes!" Xero said joyfully as she quickly pointed her flamethrower at their feet quickly thawing them out.

"This was a nice talk" Xero admitted. "We should do it again."

"Hopefully under better circumstances" Zero agreed.


	16. Chapter 16: Impostor

Thank you everyone for your endless patience. As some of you have noticed some of my earlier chapters were short and pointless, I was more worried about posting weakly then putting better quality chapters up. Well no more. So I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Expect another one soon.

* * *

"We need to get Mole" Xero told Zero as they ran down the stairs.

As they turned the curved end of the stairs they saw a Zero impostor.

Within a moment the impostor grabbed the original and threw him down the last of the stairs.

"Ok… now I think I know how you feel" Zero moned from the bottom of the steps.

Xero quickly drew out her flamethrower, pointing it at the impostor.

"Hey Modifyer" a voice yelled out. Before Xero could even turn to the voice she felt a powerful hand yank her by the collar. "Miss me" Lacey asked as she held her in a neck lock. "You left your flank open by the way" Lacey said matter of factly.

Zero rose to his knees, rubbing his temples as the impersonator walked calmly down the stairs, Lacey and Xero right behind.

Zero watched as the impostor reached to his belt. He watched in horror as 'he' turned into Zack. "My Morph belt" Zero mumbled.

"Not anymore" Zack said sinisterly. "You passed on unlimited power" he said pointing to 'his' belt, "in favor of… personal attachments" he said pointing to the subpar Morph belt and gadgets pouches that Xero had gave him.

"You may have my hand me downs, but you don't have my skills" Zero said.

Xero quickly elbowed Lacey in the stomach and pushed past Zack to Zero.

Within a second everyone was on there feet, all guns pointed to someone else. Zack to Zero, Zero to Lacey, Lacey to Xero, Xero to Zack. A stand off.

Suddenly red and blue lights filled the dark room. "This is the police, surrender the mayor and come out peacefully. We have the place surrounded."

Xero and Zero turned to Zack and Lacey. "What did you do to the mayor!?" they demanded.

"All in good time" Lacey said vaguely as they all heard a loud bang from the door.

Zack suddenly lunged at Zero, faster than he could turn his cold gun to him.

With Zero's cold gun no longer pointed at her, and Xero trying to get a beat on Zack without harming Zero, Lacey ran. Straight to the cops.

"Help!" Lacey yelled. "He's over here"

The cops followed Lacey to the scene.

"Enough!" Xero yelled as she pointed her flamethrower behind Zack's head, never intending to pull the trigger.

The lights from the cops flashlights illuminated the room, shocking everyone but two.

Zero and Xero looked at the situation, his hands wrapped around mayor Warheart's wrists, and her flamethrower pointed right behind his head.

"Hands up now!" the cop said drawing up his weapon.

As Xero slowly moved away from behind the fake mayor, and Zero released his wrists, Zack mouthed the word 'You Lose.'


	17. Chapter 17:The Great Escape Part 1

"Officers, these criminals attacked me, and a third one ran off with the Emerald Diamond before you arrived" the fake mayor said.

Before Xero or Zero could say anything Lacey chimed in. "It's true, I saw the whole thing" she said matter of factly.

"Officer-" Zero started defensively, but was cut off by Zack.

"Officer, I want these criminals arrested now!" he demanded.

The officer turned to them. "You kids are sure in a lot of trouble."

"Officer we can explain" Xero said quickly.

"Oh, do pray tell" he said dully.

Xero nugged Zero a bit. "Alright. This may sound crazy" he said rubbing his hands together. "But that man" he said pointing an accusing finger at 'mayor Warheart' "Is an impostor, disguised as the mayor, and he's using a belt I made to do it all."

"And she's some kind of clone of me" Xero said pointing at Lacey. "Except evil" she added.

The officer just pulled out his walkie talkie. "Fellows inform the asylum that we got a pair of wackos."

They both didn't look surprised as the officer pulled out his cuffs.

"It was worth a try" Xero said.

As quick as a whip Zero grabbed the officer's wrist and cuffed one of his hands. Xero quickly grabbed the other end of the cuff and cuffed the closest approaching officer same hand.

They both then turned their heads towards the stairs, instinctively running up them.

"After them!" the cuffed office yelled.

With all the cops chasing Xero and Zero, out of earshot, Zack yelled to Lacey "shoot them! Shoot them!"

Lacey pulled out her flamethrower, almost instantly getting a beat on Zero.

"Shoot them!" he yelled again.

She hesitated for a moment, losing her shot. "I can't get a beat on any of them."

* * *

"Are you sure running was the best idea" Zero asked.

"Hey, I was just following you" Xero said trying to be funny. "So you tell me."

He thought about that for a moment. "Was a good idea at the moment."

"I'm glad I thought about it" she said, again trying to be funny in this somber situation.

"You know if Zack catches us-" he started, only to be stopped by her.

"Yep, I know."

As they passed the display of Fabegé jeweled eggs, Xero grabbed one of them and tossed it down the second set of stairs like a bowling ball. It made a thumping sound as it fell from stair to stair.

"Where did those kids go" the office asked his colleagues.

"What... listen" one of them said. They all stood in silence as they heard sounds going back down the stairs.

"Let's go" the officer said excitedly as he and the others ran back down the stairs.

Lacey watched from a distance as all the cops ran back down the stairs. "Back down?" she asked confused. "What's your plan, walk right out?" she asked herself. "That's not like either one of you" she said looking up towards the ascending stairs.

* * *

"We need to stop" Xero said as she sat on the floor, her back leaned against the wall, the both of them gasping for breath.

"Come on Xero, we need to get as much distance as we can, and I'm not leaving without you… I'll carry you if I must" he said as he extended his hand to her.

"You barely have the energy to carry yourself any farther" she said to her exhausted partner. "Besides we can't just keep running up these stairs. This building only goes so far" she said taking his arm pulling him down to sit.

Zero reluctantly shook his head in agreement as he sat down. "We need to tell Katz of all that's happened."

"First we need to get out of here" she reminded him.

"What about Mole?" he asked.

"Hopefully we'll find him on our way out" she said optimistically.

"So how do we get out of here?" he asked reluctantly.

"I don't know" Xero said as she let her head slump down.

Xero…Zero...come on out...I promise only to kill one of you" they heard Lacey say.

They both sat up quickly. "Ok, let's get out of here now" Xero whispered. They both looked around, entered the first door they saw.

-BALCONY-

Lacey looked around like a puma stalking infinite warthogs. "Where are you guys" she asked out loud as she gripped the handle of her flamethrower. She stood in silence as she heard a soft click.

Instantly she ran to the sound, she ran to a door two floor above where she was. It read -BALCONY-

She ran through the door into the night air.


	18. Chapter 18: The Great Escape Part 2

"Gotcha!" Lacey yelled. She took a full 360 degrees turn on the balcony, seeing nothing but chairs and a few metal tables. Her fist clenched until her knuckles turned white. "I know you're here somewhere" she said as she started looking under the tables. "But where?"

She walked towards the end of the balcony looking into the darkness of the night. "My gut tells me that you're both close."

She stood in dark silence for a minute. "Zero my friend" she said to nobody, "I spared you and your pathetic other's life just a moment ago" she said as though she was speaking to him. "We don't need to be enemies, in fact I rather we friends again, allies if nothing more." She fell into silence again. "But I need you to let go of your burden, I need you to let go of Xero. Turn yourself into Vein and me and I'll promise to spare you 'friend.'"

After a moment of silence Lacey left the balcony, disappointed by the eerie silence.

* * *

Xero and Zero both held onto life, they held onto the edges of the balcony, out of view from anyone.

Xero had watched the effects of Lacey's words on Zero, she saw fear, anger, confusion, and finally sadness.

Xero looked down feeling his grief. She somehow put on a smile and nudged him, breaking him out of his grief. "Hey… you alright?" she asked.

"Yea" he said turning his head away from her so she could not see his misty eyes. He blinked rapidly to clear them. "Right" he said after a moment. "Let's get out here" he said.

They both let of of the ledge they were clinging onto falling 3 feet down to a window edge.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Zero said on the edge of the ledge flailing his arms around to try and balanced himself.

"I gotcha" Xero said as she grabbed his Morph belt and pulled him towards her.

"You alright" she asked as he was steadied, her hands still on his belt.

"Yea. Hey… thanks" he said breathlessly.

"No problem" she said as she released her grip from his belt. She turned her attention to the large window, or at least what was left of it, for it looked as though lightning had struck it.

"How are we going to get out of here" Xero asked herself. Then an idea hit her. She quickly turned back to Zero and grabbed his belt again.

"Xero!" he yelled shocked.

"Relax" she said ss she stared fishing through some of the pouches on his Morph belt. "I told you I put some tools in your belt, and that includes a miniature grappling hook."

"I have one of those" he asked surprised.

Xero looked at him with false hurt. "You haven't tried out all these gadgets yet."

"Haven't had an excuse to yet" he said kindly.

"Touché." She handed him the gadget.

He instinctively installed it onto his cold gun. He squinted one of his eyes as he aimed and fired the hook across the museum into a nearby building. "If my quick calculator are correct, we should be able to swing down to the sidewalk."

"Right" Xero said anxiously as she wrapped her arms around around his neck.

He looked at her perplexed.

"What…?" she asked. "There's only one grappling hook and two of us" she said justifying her actions.

"Oh...right, of course" he said tightening his grip on his cold gun. "Ready" he asked nervously.

"No...let's do this" she said as they both jumped off the ledge swinging through the air.

Zero tightened the grip of his cold gun as Xero tightened her grip around him.

Within a moment they were both on the floor lying on their backs trying to calm their breathing.

"That wasn't so hard" Xero said still trying to catch her breath.

Suddenly they heard a musical tune from Xero's ring.

"It's Katz" she said activating it.

Katz looked at them both, pinching his brow, frustration spread across his face.

"Katz we can explain" Zero said cautiously.

"Save it" Katz said. "Get back to HQ now."

"What about Mole?" Xero asked.

"He's already here, he claims one of you shot him and the other stuffed him into a vase. He came back as soon as he could. Lucky for him he's not being hunted by the police."

Xero and Zero looked down embarrassed. "We'll both be in as soon as we can" one of them mumbled.

"How are we going to get back to HQ without being caught?" Xero asked after she deactivated ther ring.

They both watched as officers started leaving the museum, heading onto the streets.

"I have an idea" Zero said quickly as he rushed to a nearby manhole lifting the lid.

Xero looked down hesitant. "Are you sure?"

They both turned as they could hear Police dogs in the distance. "You got any better ideas" he asked.

"No...not really" she said.

"Well...ladies first" Zero said.

Before he could say another word Xero pushed him inside before he could object. "You alright" she asked down the whole.

"I'm alright...and thank god it's mostly dry down here" he added.

"Right" she said. "Catch me" she said as she jumped down the manhole into his arms. "Next stop the closest Modi-pod" she said.


	19. Chapter 19:Katz and the Council

Katz walked back and forth in his office frustrated but still patient enough to hear Mole's account of the mission.

"I just can't believe they would do something like this" Mole said solemnly.

"Agreed. That's why there next move will tell us something."

Mole looked at him blankly. "I've contacted them to return to HQ. If they do, it means they have nothing to hide and are confident enough to plead their case. If they don't it means they're now on the run."

Mole looked at him skeptically. "You know you'd make a great flawed parent with that type of logic."

Before either one of them could say anything a beep from Katz receptionist went off. "Sir, Agent's Xero and Zero are here now."

"Send them in" Katz said as he went to his chair behind his desk.

Xero and Zero both walked into the office with their heads held low. "Sir, we can explain-" Xero started but was cut off as Katz raised his hand silencing her for now.

"Mass panic, an irreplaceable diamond stolen that you were suppose to guard, and untold damages to the museum and it's displays that will have to be repaired and replaced. And you both say you have a justifiable explanation for all this?"

The duo looked at one another unsure where to start. "Tell him" Xero said nudging Zero. "You did see it up close" she reminded him.

He shook his head in reluctant agreement. "Katz… Zack is masquerading as the mayor" he said as calmly as he could.

Katz looked at them both baffled. He then turned to Mole. "Can you confirm this?"

Mole hesitated to answer. "Well technically no… but that doesn't mean we can rule the possibility out."

"And what are the chances that Zack and or Vein are involved?"

" Well considering the inconvenient power issue, and the long wait on the police, I would say the likelihood that Vein was involved is 20%. It's either that or another villain and or Xero and Zero are behind this all."

Katz rubbed his temples. "Mole take them to the other room will you."

As Mole lead the duo out they both had some final words to tell him.

"Zack has my Morph belt" Zero mumbled.

"Lacey is somehow alive" Xero mumbled.

* * *

"Father, he waking up!" Lacey yelled out the door.

Mayor Warheart struggled to get up but found his arms and legs restrained to the wall. "Where am I?!" he asked the blue haired teen frantically.

"You are our guest" said a grey skinned monster. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Baron Vain. Care for some tea?"

Warheart looked at him with a blank expression, but Vein paid it no mind as he clapped his hands.

Rat quickly ran into the room. "Your wretchedness, you summoned me? How may I be of dastardly use?" he asked a wide crooked smile spread across his face.

"Tea for our friend, my daughter and me."

Rat's smile dropped from his face, disappointed to being charged with a mediocre task. He left grumbling harsh words, but quickly returned with 3 chipped cups of tea.

Warheart took a sipp from his cup and spontaneously gagged. He looked at the murky tea water.

"We don't get a lot of clean water down here" Vein explained.

"Why am I hear?"

"Your an unfortunate casualty of war" Vein said nonchalantly.

"Casualty!" Warheart said catching his breath.

"Yes" Vein said with a gleefully. "Come meet our guest he said to someone outside the door.

Instantly 4 other monsters walked in. "And these are the Good Sir, the Duke of Pherome VII, the Count of Odgensvelt IX and of course Lord Schmelting. Show him the project I put you on" he said to the Schmelting.

He pulled out an old map with a red circle on a specific area, and should it to the mayor.

Vein turned to him with a sinister glee in his eyes. "I want you to think back to your first few months as mayor, that one thing you promised the people, that you went so far as to take money from your own salary to build. Your gift to the public."

Warheart felt his heart sink. "You don't mean…"

"Your gift will be there distruction" Vein said as he shooed everybody out of the room. "And if you even try to escape-" Quickly he stomped on Warheart's shin, shattering it within a second.

Lacey stood outside the door listening to the former mayor's screams of agony.

* * *

Xero stood outside the door listening to whatever she could, but all she could hear was muffled voices. "You suppose he'll believe us?"

"I hope so" Zero said as he walked back and forth.

"But on how the evidence is, do you think he'll believe us"

He stopped and looked at her unsure weather to tell her what he believed, or what she would want to hear.

* * *

"Listen to me" Katz said to the council members via video monitors, trying to get there attention again. "If what they are tell me is true, we are all in grave danger."

"They are fooling you" one of them said.

"We've already have given you leniency on all not one, but two agents that break the age restriction." another said.

Katz spoke quickly in defense. "I and so many others are grateful for you understanding but-"

He was cut off by another voice. "Just last month you've already have had a rouge Modifyer. And time after time you have reportedly been bending the lines between a successful agent and 'family'" he said sneering the last word.

"Why can't they be both!" Katz demanded. "Things weren't always like this, we didn't always take children at young ages, anyone with a heart of gold could've been a Modifyer. We didn't demand 110% from our agents, they gave it to us willingly. Agent's were allowed to see their families, because we knew one day they wouldn't. We remember that they were human."

One of them stood up angrily. "You know dang well why we don't allow that anymore!"

"Just give them a chance" Katz whispered.

"It's too great of a risk. We'll be sending our best to retrieve them."

"No!" Katz panicked. "Me and and my Agent's can catch them… peaceful… and if we can't, I will resign my position."

All the council members looked to one another, then to Katz. "You have 48 hours to capture them."

The monitors started to deactivated one by one with Katz standing there numb, and as the last one turned off he looked at the twin doors leading to Xero and Zero.


	20. Chapter 20: Katz Choice

Xero and Zero kept their ears against the double doors. "Are you sure you heard yelling?" Zero asked.

"Yea I'm sure."

Suddenly both doors were wrenched open causing Xero and Zero to fall forward.

"Get up" Katz demanded as he started adjusting his watch. 11:00 PM. "Alright."

He then turned his attention to the group. "Let's talk" he said directory to Mole as he took him aside from the others.

Xero and Zero watched in silence as Mole and Katz finished their talk, with Mole leaving the office.

Katz then turned to them. "You two are in trouble" he said solemnly. "And my higher ups want you both in custody immediately."

They both looked down down defeated. 'What will happen to us now' Xero thought.

"Unfortunately" Katz continued "after a lengthy pursuit involving some of my best agents and me, you both some how managed to escape, blabbering your ludicrous story to anyone who would listen in a feeble attempt to 'clear your name'."

They both looked at him shocked.

"Now my higher ups will send their best to find you. But they won't be here for another 48 hours" he said throwing his watch into Zero hands as it started to tick down. -47:57:24-

Katz walked out the door, Xero and Zero numbly following him. He lead them outside to a car. "Quickly,quickly" he said opening up the rear door for them as they hopped in.

Before the car could leave Xero rolled down the window. "Why are you doing this?" she asked Katz.

He looked at them both unsure what to say. "My higher ups are quick to believe that an agent can go rogue, especially because of Zack's sudden shift in allegiance, then that a high class public official could be cahoots with Vein. They won't conduct any investigation on 'Mayor Warheart' until it's too late."

"But this means you do believe us, right?" Xero asked unsure of Katz actual belief.

He was silent. "You both do understand though that I'm sending your M.O.L.E unit along with you" he said breaking the silence.

Xero and Zero quickly looked at the front seat and saw Mole behind the wheel.

"You believe us too?" Zero asked Mole surprised.

"I believe 66% of what you've claimed. Weather Zack, Lacey or Vein are involved remains to be seen" Mole explained.

Zero turned to Xero. "66% better than nothing."

"More than half" Xero agreed.

"Well then, this is goodbye for now" Katz said gaining there attention. "Best of luck" he said hitting the hood of the car.

They both watched as HQ got farther and farther away.

Xero looked at the time mounted on the car. -11:34-

She yawned, the events of the day finally breaking her down. "Do you mind?" she asked sleepily as she laid her head on his shoulder, not bothering to hear his answer and only taking a moment to fluff his shoulder as though it was a pillow.

"Well-" he started to say to an already sleeping Xero. "Why not."

* * *

"Do you know how hard is is for me to move around like this" the fake mayor yelled.

Vein looked at him with unmoved eyes. "I didn't call you over here so I could hear you whine about your role in my plan. Did you get what we need?" he asked bluntly.

"Of course" Zack said sliding a beige envelope to Vein.

He quickly grabbed the envelope and reviewed its contents quickly. "Yes, yes. These'll do."

"Where's Lacey" Zack asked.

Vein looked at him suspiciously. "Down in the practice room… why?"

Zack looked at Vein with hard eyes. "I think she hesitated to kill those agents" he said bluntly.

Vein laughed as though it were a joke. "That's a good one" he said struggling to catch his breath.

Zack looked at him with anger. "Just make sure her loyalty are in line. It would be.. unfortunate if we had to take one of our own down."

Vein stood up suddenly and grabbed him by his jaw. "We are not all in the same league boy. I am superior to all as she is to you!" he said pushing him back. After a moment Vein straightened out his coat and sat back down as though nothing had happened. "Watch what you say about my daughter" he said coldly.

Zack turned having so many things to say, but no tongue too.

As soon as Zack was gone, Vein put his head in his hands, thinking about what he had told him.

'Only one way to find out' he thought.


	21. Chapter 21:The Safe House

Xero sat up looked around the room quickly, seeing the eggshell colored walls and light blue curtains with averaged sized drawer right besides the window, and a door left open leading to a bathroom. She laid on a bed, besides her slept Zero.

"Wake up, wake up" she whispered shaking him violently.

"No officer, I was just resting my head" he said jumping out of the bed.

Xero looked at him hiding a smile under her hand. "Did I wake you up at a bad time" she asked as she leaned on a pillow.

"Of course not" he said straightening out his clothes trying to hide his embarrassment. As he was starting out his clothes he noticed something was missing. "My cold gun gone."

Xero quickly patted herself down, realizing her flamethrower was taken too.

They both stopped talking as they heard footsteps coming up the stairs. They both looked at one another knowing what to do without saying a word.

Xero ran to the bed as Zero ran to the curtains. She lifted up the cover sheets. "Beds to low."

He lightly tugged at the curtains, instantly feeling there thinness. "Curtains are too thin."

"Where else" Xero asked herself as they they both turned towards the bathroom.

The door swung open slowly, making a creaky sound the whole time. "Hello...where did you two run off too?" said the familiar voice.

The owner of the voice lifted up the bed cover sheet. "No. Not there" it said out loud.

It then turned towards the thin curtains. "Obviously not there."

It then turned to the closed bathroom door.

Xero and Zero crouched in the shadow, the only thing hiding them now was a plastic shower curtain. They could hear as the voice stepped into the bathroom. They saw the dark silhouette get closer and closer, it's hand reaching for the curtain. Swiftly the silhouette pulled it wide open.

Instantly fear drained from Xero's face as she saw the owner of the silhouette.

"Am I interrupting something?" Susan Shadows asked.

"No, not at all" Xero said releasing her tight grip from Zero arm.

"Well unless you guys intended to do all your work in my shower, I suggest you follow me down stairs.

Susan lead the way with Xero and Zero closely following behind.

"I take it you both know each other then" Zero asked.

Xero stopped instantly. "Oh, you're right… Zero, this is Susan Shadows. Susan, this is Zero."

"Well I guess hello" Zero said extending his hand.

Susan hesitate to shake back. "Handshakes are not necessary" she said as she quickly turned back down the stairs.

"Care for some tea?" she asked them as they entered the kitchen indicating the mugs and tea kettle.

"So… how do you know Katz?" Xero asked as she poured herself a cup of tea.

"Oh.." Susan said surprised to be asked a question. "Well I was a Modifyer agent. Of course I was younger then... " she said as she fell into another day dream.

Xero and Zero looked at one another. "Susan…" he asked breaking her out of her memories. "Do you know what happened to Mole?"

"He had to return the company car" Mole said as he entered the kitchen.

"Don't worry" Susan said, eager to contribute "I have a car you guys can use."

"So what's your guys plan?" Mole asked concerned.

"Well... " Xero and Zero said as both turned and whispered to each other. "We have decided to go back to the museum and look for clues" Xero declared.

"What clues?" Mole asked.

"Any kind... we can't leave no stone unturned" Zero said trying to be optimistic.

"Sounds like a good plan to me" Susan said before Mole could object. She took a quick glance at the clock. 8:50. "The museum won't be open till 10" she said as she sniffed something putrid in the air. "So I suggest taking a shower" she said as she pinched her nose.

Xero and Zero looked down embarrassed.

"I mean come on, you two smell like you've been through a sewer."

Xero raised a finger, about to say something but stopping when she thought better of it.

"I got fresh clothing you can wear for your mission" she said excitedly.

* * *

Zero exhaled in his fresh, clean clothes. "Where did she even get these" he asked looking down at his new attire.

"Oh you should be proud" Xero said from inside the bathroom. "You're wearing Sinister Stan's outfit."

"You really are a nerd about this you know that" he said. 'Well at least it's hardly any different than my usual attire' he thought. The only difference being a red and black color scheme and a double breasted vest. The black tie with red stripes was one from Xero.

"Hey have you seen the watch Katz gave us?" he asked.

"Yea, you left it in here" she yelled through the door.

"Right I'll be back for it when your done" he said as he started rushing to the door.

"Don't leave quite yet" Xero said coming out of the bathroom with a brush. "Can you can tell me how I look."

Xero stood across from him in Lady Shadows signature outfit, a long slim black trench coat, black pants and a blood red undershirt. The white go-go boots was hers though, just as Zero still wore his Morph belt.

"You… you look great" he said stuttering a bit as he started for the door again.

"Wait" she whispered stopping him.

"Yea."

She hesitated, not sure what to say. "Umm, you are forgetting the watch again" she finally said.

"Right he said as he rushed past her into the bathroom. As soon as he was past her she rushed back down stairs.

As he looked into the mirror he could see the words 'XERO IS AWESOME' written in the steam.

"huh, Xero" he said shaking his head, but as he took a closer look he realized an important clue was right in front of him.

"Xero, you're a genius!" he yelled as he ran back down the stairs. "Xero you're a genius!"

* * *

AN: Ok I know this is a pretty long chapter, and that this story is getting longer than my 1st one, so I'm setting up a poll on how to go from here.


	22. Chapter 22:Retuning to the Museum

"I know I'm a genius, but what exactly did I do this time... not that I didn't know that I am. Just so Mole on the same page" Xero said pointing to Mole in the driver's seat all the while struggling to strap herself into the Y styled seat belt of Susan's loaned car that she had called 'The Modi-mobile.'

Zero leaned over and helped Xero with her belt, embarrassment etched across her face.

"I thought you said I was the genius" Xero reminded him.

"And that you are, but even geniuses could use a little help."

Suddenly the car jolted forward soon leaving Susan's garage and driveway.

Zero smiled, finally ready to tell her what he had saw on the mirror. "Can I see your hand" he asked as he extended his to her.

She hesitantly extended her's to him. He looked at hand for a long moment.

"So…did you learn to read palms" she asked jokingly.

"No… I'm examining your fingerprints, and you appear to have several double loop whorls. And that means that even if Lacey is some kind of evil clone, then that means- " he explained.

"She should have different fingerprints, since prints are not genetic" Xero finished.

"Exactly super genius. If you hadn't written 'Xero is awesome' we wouldn't have anywhere to start."

"Your giving me too much credit, by all technicalities it was your idea" she reminded him.

"How about we call it our idea" he said.

She smiled. "A compromise sounds great to me."

"Were here" Mole announced as the Modi-mobile pulled into the museum parking lot.

* * *

"You would imagine after a robbery was committed here, people would flock like geese to get the news" Zero noted as they walked through the mostly empty museum."

"Last thing we need is to have too many eyes on us. We're all ready sticking out as it is" she said taking a quick glance at the cuffs Mole had morphed into binding them, the only thing hiding his being there sleeves and cunning.

They walked to the closest security guard they could see.

"Hi, we're the forensics team sent down by the mayor himself" Xero said tapping her foot twice and then showing the guard a badge.

The guard looked at them surprised. "It's about time you guys got here. You won't believe how crazy it was here yesterday."

"Oh I'm pretty sure we know how it was" Zero said.

Xero shook her head in agreement.

The guard looked at them confused. "Well the Diamonds case has been moved to the 2nd floor. Do you two need an escort?"

"No, I'm sure we can find our own way" Xero said as she pulled Zero along with her.

As soon as they were out of earshot Zero talked to Xero's badge. "Nice job Mole."

Before he could say anything else Mole turned back into cuffs.

"You know talking to my badge makes you look a little crazy" Xero said trying to cheer him and herself up as they made their way into the holding room.

"Work your magic" Zero said as the door closed behind them.

* * *

 **AN** : Sorry about the short chapter this week, but this holiday season has been crazy for me as it is for a lot of people, but I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and story in general. Happy holidays to you all :)


	23. Chapter 23: Escape from the Museum

The mayor stormed through the museum, his eyes darting back and forth. His presence catching the attention of the museum curator.

"Mayor Warheart, what are you doing here today?" he asked.

He turned to him surprised to be asked that question. "oh, since the threats from the other night are being dealt with by the police, I thought I stop by and view what leads they have so far."

"Sadly, nothing but a glass case."

"Does this case happen to still be in this museum?"

"Why yes, on the 2nd floor. It's being examined by the forensics team."

"Forensics team?" he said confused, having convinced the district attorney the case was useless. Anger scrolled across his face. "What did they look like?!"

* * *

Xero turned to her agitated partner. "You alright?"

"Yea" he said, uncertainty in his face. "The sooner we get out of here, the better."

"Relax. Breath" she said placings her hand on his shoulder.

"It's just… I got a bad feelings."

"And done" Mole said as he lifted the last of the fingerprints off of the case. He stored all the evidence within his 'M' compartment.

"Alright" Zero said eagerly. "Let's get the heck out of here" he said as he pulled open the door. His and Xero's expression turned to shock as they found themselves face to face with the fake mayor. Like a bolt of lightning Zero fired his cold gun, freezing the impostors eyes shut, and shutting the door close.

"Doesn't look like we're getting out that way" Xero said backing away from the door as Zero made an ice barrier.

"This is bad!" Mole yelled running back and forth in the small room, unable to find any means of escape.

"How long is that going to hold" Xero asked.

"Not long enough" Zero said as he looked at the slowly melting ice.

Xero looked around quickly looking for a way out. "I have an idea" she said looking up.

* * *

The fake mayor quickly turned to the closest wall and slammed his face into it until the ice broke off.

A security guard quickly rushed to his aid. "Sir, we need to get you out of here" he said.

The mayor quickly grabbed him by his collar. "Get the police now!" he said pushing the guard back. He then waited until the guard was out of sight.

As soon as he was, he deactivated the Morph belt and unholster his lightning gun. Within a moment the door was reduced to splinters, the ice not standing any chance.

He looked around the room noticing a large hole burned into the floor. He jumped down after them.

* * *

"How much longer do you suppose we have now?" Xero whispered ahead of her as the trio continued to crawl through the air ducts.

"Just a little bit further" Mole said ahead of the group. "This duct should lead us directly to the basement."

"Wait a second" Zero objected "the basement's-"

His words were cut off suddenly as the trio fell down one of the ducts. They landed on a grate with the basement. Suddenly even the grate they were on top off gave in, causing the trio to fall to the floor.

"You were saying" Xero moaned on top of the pile.

"Never mind" he gasped.

Mole quickly clawed his way from below the pile. His eyes instantly drawn to the broken window and the blood glistening on it.

He quickly pulled out a cotton swab to collect the sample.

"Xero" Zero asked.

"Yea" she moaned, her body still aching from the fall.

"Can you get off of me?"

She suddenly realized she was laying stomach down across his back.

"I'm so sorry" she said the top of her hair falling over her face to hide the blood rushing to her face.

"It's alright" he said reassuringly. "Lets just get out of here."

They both turned to Mole, his 'M' emblem sealing again. "Agreed" he said as he was the first to crawl through the window.

* * *

AN: Hey everyone, sorry about the wait, I've been busy this holiday season with everything and everyone. But thank you all for your patience and understanding. Hope to post soon again :)


	24. Chapter 24:Lacey's Internal Struggle

Lacey pointed her flamethrower at the cardboard cutouts, destroying them all within a moment. 'All generic, unimportant as the real ones' she thought to herself.

Suddenly one of Xero and Zero popped up on her side. She quickly pointed her flamethrower but failed to pull the trigger.

'I promise never to leave you' she could her in her head, repeating again and again.

She smacked the side of her head as though it were an old out of date tv. "Get out of my head" she begged.

From the corner of her eye another cutout popped up on que. Without turning her head or body from the first cutout, she destroyed the new one in a blaze of fire.

"You know, the point of that one is to keep you on your toes, and prevent you from killing any of your team mates" Vein said walking into the practice room, his gaze still on the burning cutout of Zack.

"I know" she said coldly.

"He…" he said pointing at the cutout of Zack, "has come to the belief that you had hesitated to kill them last night."

"They were moving targets, being chased by the police. Zack is more concerned about trying killing Zero. Nothing more, nothing less. What if I shot at them. Then what? I'd be hauled away by the police" she said sternly, her words holding value.

He looked at her for a long moment. "Shoot them" he finally said.

"What?" she asked confused.

"Shoot, destroy… kill, Xero and her companion" he said pointing at the cutout.

She pointed her flamethrower at it, but just stood there, unable or unwilling to pull the trigger. She lowered her head and weapon. "I can't" she said quietly. "Father, I've been plagued with dreams, or memories that don't belong to me, but to her" she said pointing to Xero's cutouts.

Vein looked at her with disappointment in his eyes. After contemplating the situation for a moment, he reached down and lifted up her head so she could she him. "It's just as I feared. There is still a part of Xero's mentality within you. A part that hasn't or is refusing to die."

She broke her chin from his ice cold hands, head hung low again, self anger spread across her face.

"That is why I need you to do what Xero couldn't when she was in your position."

"What are you asking of me father?"

Suddenly the cutout of Xero and Zero exploded in a flash of light. Lacey turned toward the shooter.

He ignored her as he walked in front of Vein, gaining his attention.

"I saw them" Zack said his face a hard scowl.


	25. Chapter 25:Kill Time

"So how long is the process going to take?" Zero asked as he followed behind Mole and Susan, micropipettes, a electrophoresis, and a centrifuge in hand.

"Oh, I don't know, a couple of hours tops" Mole said.

"Really that long?"

"Well we have to sanitarily extract what little dna I collected from the museum, put it through a centrifuge, and then use these micropipettes to place the matter into the gel cubicles, which will take time to mold," he added under his breath "and put it all through they electrophoresis."

He waited in silence, waiting for Zero to respond. "And then" Zero finally asked.

"And then we have our dna evidence. From there I tap into the hq database and try to find our perpetrators" he said with a gleefully smile.

Zero looked at him unsure what to say. "You make it sound so easy" he said sarcastically. "So when do we begin?"

"Well… technically you can't be in the room. You might contaminate what little dna we have" Mole tried to explain. "Katz orders" he added.

"Don't worry" Susan chimed in. "I'll be working working with him to make sure nothing goes wrong. Just watch some tv or something" she said closing the door behind her.

Zero stood there, a feeling of uselessness hitting him like a wave. Bord he tried the closest door finding it locked. He then looked out the closest window, he saw Xero in the backyard slowly swinging back and forth on a swing.

* * *

Xero rocked back and forth, her impatience getting the best of her. Suddenly she felt the ground leave benefit her feet.

Instinctively she tightened her grip on the rope and felt her shoulders rise a bit.

"Relax" Zero said as he pulled the swing back.

"Sorry, I didn't see you come out" she said relaxing her shoulders.

"Hey, you're the one that gave me stealth lessons."

"Exactly why I should have heard you a mile away" she said.

They both laughed, neither one saying a word after it died out, Xero still swinging up and down.

"What did Mole say?" Xero asked finally asked breaking the silence.

"A couple of hours as he put it."

"And Susan?"

"Assistant, since apparently we could contaminate the evidence."

"We still could" she said sarcastically as she planted her feet onto the floor and stood up.

Zero looked at her amused.

"But we do have the whole house to ourselves" she said as she pulled on his tie. "You make the waffles, I'll get the chess board!" she said letting go of his tie and running with her head start.

"Wait, how is that fair" he asked chasing after her.

* * *

Susan looked out at the settings sun. '6 hours of work, and we still aren't done yet' she thought. "How much longer is this going to take" she asked, her patience at its end.

"Well Katz wants me to search through all known data banks, including Modifyer agents records."

"All I'm saying is that we should just determine if the dna belongs to Xero and Zero."

"Katz demanded a thorough search. Even if it's not them we could at least have another suspect to follow."

"All I'm saying is it's not fair to keep them waiting."

"They'll be fine, a couple more hours and we'll have our suspects."

She looked at him unsure. "I'm just going to go check on them" she said as she slid out the door.

* * *

"Checkmate" Xero declared as she captured his king. Zero carelessly pushed the board of the bed, frustration spelled across his face. "Nobody likes a sore loser" Xero said joyfully as she nudged her partner who didn't share in her optimization.

"I don't get it" Zero said leaning back. "How did I lose again?"

"Well" Xero said also leaning back, "You were just a little anxious with every move you made. Each one leading to a lost of a pawn or another, and eventually… checkmate."

"How you get so good at this game anyways?"

"I use to play against Mole all the time. I usually lost, but I learned a few tricks."

"I hope one of you have learned how to clean a kitchen." They both turned and saw Susan at the door frame. "You guys made a mess."

"But we did make lunch… and dinner. And breakfast" Xero said reflecting on the bake off. "Hungry?" she asked as she got up and offered her a waffle with a scoop of french vanilla on top.

Zero yawned as loud as he could. "We're a little beat right now, so I think now is the best time to hit the hay" he said. "But we promise to clean your kitchen tomorrow." He looked to Xero who quickly shook her head in agreement.

Susan pinched her brow. "Alright. But go to sleep already. It's already 10" she said.

* * *

Susan closed the door behind her and walked two doors down and checked it. 'Kids' she thought to herself 'I could have had one' she thought sadly as she passed down the hall.

* * *

Zero waited until he was sure Susan was out of earshot. "Ok, one more game" he said quickly collecting the chess board.

Xero grind for check to check. "Ready to loose again?" she said asked.

"I'm sure I can pick up on a few game winning tricks" he said quickly picking up the board and pawns.

"Game on" Xero declared quickly jumping onto the bed.


	26. Chapter 26: A Choice

Mole tipped toed through the room as silently as he could, his speakers listening for any sound from the pair as they slept, his eyes set to night vision mode.

He inched closer and closer to the desk, stopping only for a moment when he heard a floorboard squeak under his weight.

He listened silently hearing a slight stir from the bed. He stood silence. Oil (his equivalent of sweat) dripping down his face.

With the object barely within reach he reached out and quickly snached what they needed.

Without another moment to spare he quickly rushed out of the room in a flash, carefully balancing his weight to prevent any more floorboard squeaks. Finally at the threshold of the door he took a moment and looked at the pair. Neither one of them stirring. Neither one aware of his presence.

As he silently closed the door behind him, he let out a sigh of relief and looked at his palm.

"You get it?" Susan asked waiting by the door.

"Yea" he said showing her Xero's ring communicator in hand.

* * *

"Are you sure" Katz asked dread and frustration etched on his face.

"I'm afraid so. Mole's DNA analysis is proof enough that Xero and Zero didn't steal the diamond" Susan said with pride.

Mole quickly stepped up to the communicator. "The DNA says that the real perpetrators are Zack Madoff and Malcolm Mulac" he restated matter of factly.

"What about the 2nd set of fingerprint?" Katz asked.

"Unknown. It doesn't belong to anyone in any database anywhere."

Katz rubbed his temples frustrated. "Is Malcolm the only double agent?" he finally asked, afraid of what the answer could be.

"We don't know" Mole said cautiously. "Maybe."

Katz looked looked at him with hard eyes "We made that same assumption when Zack turned" he reminded him. "If the council finds out about this we will have a full district shutdown, and all agents will need a thorough investigation. The organization will be stretched thin" he said leaning back in his chair, the shock of what could happen waning on him.

"How long will this process take? " Mole asked.

"at best… a year" Katz said gravely.

"There has to be another option!" Susan said.

"Susan, all we have are two names, one being a current agent, they other being a former agent. That's it. Pretty much nothing to start with. As far as the council is concern, anyone can be a double agent. Even me." She became silent.

"What about Xero's and Zero's claim of a fake mayor?" Mole asked breaking the silence. "Doesn't this evidence give some merit to their claim?"

"It practically a conspiracy theory. We would need a surveillance team, wire tappings, manpower, and above it all the council's approval to target this elected government official. Something they aren't too keen on. Besides when they get this report they'll be to concern of an internal conflict."

"Is there anything we can do."

"I'm afraid not" Katz said sadly.

They all heard a thump at that moment from the closed door. Susan quickly moved to the doorknob and swung it open. Xero and Zero both fell through the open door.

"What… this isn't the bathroom" Xero said trying to play of their eavesdropping.

Susan looked at them both unamused. "And what's your excuse" she asked Zero.

"Sleepwalking" he said quickly. "And sleep talking" he added.

Before anyone could say another word they both stepped up. "What if we gave the council some good news instead?" Xero said.

"How" Katz asked unamused.

"Easy" Zero said. "We break into Vein's lair."

Susan, Katz and Mole looked at them as though they were told an inappropriate joke, and Xero and Zero were looking at each other, aware how crazy their idea sounded.

"What part of that is easy" Mole asked.

"Think about it, we sneak in, get whatever evidence we can of double agents and Vein's league, and are out before they even know we were there" Xero explained.

Susan and Mole turned to Katz as the thought about their plan. "You can't seriously think this is a good idea!" Susan yelled.

"Were low on options" Katz reminded her. "If they can get any sort of evidence it can reduce the investigation time to 3 months."

They both turned to Mole. "What do you think?" They both asked in unison.

Mole looked at all of them, his mind weighting the risk, and the benefits of both sides.


	27. Chapter 27: The Fancy Penguin

Susan mumbled every swear word she knew as the Modi-mobile drove through the roads, neglecting to stop or activate turning signals. 'The Fancy Penguin' Susan thought 'were Katz says they might find Malcolm, or at least someone with his card.' She secretly hoped they wouldn't find him. 'They should just go back to HQ and call it a day, take a week off. Maybe even a month.

Mole sat next to her in the passenger side, his choice still festering within her mind.

In the back, Xero and Zero sat in silence, doubt in the back off their minds, but a sense of responsibility nullifying it.

'Katz's going to get these kids killed' Susan thought angrily.

Zero could feel his breathing getting quicker. Xero nudged him.

"You alright?" she asked.

"Yea, I was just thinking how crazy this mission has become" he said, his breathing not slowing down.

Xero couldn't help but give a sly smile. "I've gotten through worst messes."

He turned to her unamused "I feel better already."

"Well just get what we need and then go back home" she said both trying to assure him and herself.

Susan turned to them from behind the wheel. "We're here" she said gravely.

Xero, Zero and Mole exited the Modi-mobile unsure what to do or say. Before anyone could say anything Susan through Zero a communicator. "Just in case you guys need a quick pick up" she explained.

She watched as she drove the Modi-mobile out of sight, unsure if she said all she needed or wanted to say.

* * *

The three of them looked through clubs filthy windows, in the corner of the room they saw Malcolm sitting back, club soda in hand.

"Well he's inside" Zero stated as the three of them moved out of sight.

"But how are we going to get him to lead us to Vein's lair?" Xero asked.

Zero turned to her, an idea brewing inside his head. Xero looked back at him unsure of what he was thinking, subconsciously reaching for the ends of her hair.

* * *

Malcolm rubbed his hands on his pants again for what must of been the hundredth time, the graining feeling of gunpowder still on them. He then took another look around the dank room, perhaps for the last time. 'Too bad' he thought 'I really liked this place.'

"Another club soda" he demanded. "Put it on my tab he added.

Suddenly the doors flew open, flooding the room with light.

Everyone shielded their eyes from the blinding light, a figure appeared to lunge at them from within.

Malcolm was on his feet as the figure landed on a close by table. The face instantly recognisable. "Zero" he said under his breath.

As he turned toward the door, his eyes still adjusting to the light, he saw Lacey standing in the doorway, breath case in hand.

"Morning" she said addressing Malcolm. "Saw this one outside playing spy" she said as she entered the club.

Zero rose his head one more time in a daze. Before he could get back up she socked him in the head. "Goodnight love" she said as he went out cold.

Malcolm finally turned to her and asked "What are you doing here? Has the plan changed"

"Not at all" she said as she grabbed Zero by the belt and lifted him over her shoulder. "I'll explain it all back at base."

* * *

AN: Sorry about the long wait, it's been difficult lately, going to school and trying to find a part time job in this small town, but we are inching closer to the end so to everyone, hold on a little bit longer.-MHQ


	28. Chapter 28: The Lair

"And then Vein sent me to find you… and you wouldn't believe who I found on my way over" Lacey said pointing to her back to a tied and unconscious Zero, strapped like a backpack, suitcase in hand.

Malcolm silently agreed as he continued lead the way through the sewers. "A little late to be taking in prisoners. Heck we already moved out the mayor. Are we behind schedule again?" he asked genuinely confused.

"Yeah" She said trying to understand the conversation with little context.

As they walked farther She saw the glow of the lair.

"I'm going to contact Vein and see what he wants done with the prisoner" Malcolm said.

"Noo! Why bug him" She said dropping her suitcase. "Besides" She said pointing at Zero, "He's already down and out"

Malcolm thought it over for a minute. "Ok" he finally said. "But you're explaining to Zack why he couldn't just kill him."

"Gotcha" She said pleased.

"Now drop your suitcase and…" he turned to her and noticed She didn't have her suitcase anymore. "Didn't you just have a suitcase" he asked puzzled, unsure if she had initially brought one.

"Whaatt. Nooo", She said innocently.

He looked at her unsure, "Just help me get him in a cell" he said annoyed.

* * *

Mole ran through the base as fast as he could, his time limited, in search of Vein's "office". 'What if Malcolm sees through Xero's disguise? What if he tortures Zero? Or worse. What if Vein comes back right now?' he thought to himself, his mind racing a mile a minute. "Think about the mission" he told himself as he approached a large door, 'ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK' deeply etched on it.

The moment he entered the room he saw what he was looking for, Vein's computer system.

"Time for Katz mission to start" he said as he typed 'POPPYFIELD.'

* * *

Zero jolted back to consciousness. "Where am I?" he asked taking a look at his restraints, chains keeping him in a upright X position.

"It's about time" a voice said within the shadows.

"Show yourself Malcolm. I know it's you."

Malcolm and 'Lacey' slowly stepped out of the shadows, the former carrying a duffel bag. "I'm surprised you know who I am."

"We share a common 'Friend'" Zero said sarcastically.

Malcolm shook his head in agreement only to sock Zero across the face with his free hand within a moment, Lacey wincing at the sight.

"Anything else you got to say before I dislocated your jaw?" Malcolm asked.

"Yea, can you loosen up these restraints. We can still 'hug' this out."

Malcolm socked him again after his remark. "I don't have time for your games. But I do for one of my own," he said patting the side of his bag. He then dumped the contents of the bag onto a nearby counter. "Tell me Zero… what is the most painful experience you have ever had."

A hint of fear crossed his face, but was quickly contorted with another response. "I once stub my toe on a chair" he said sarcastically.

"Oh, here's a fun one" Malcom said picking up a crowbar, obviously ignoring his response.

* * *

Mole watched as his hd drive continued to download all the info it could hold. "98...99...100!" He quickly turned on his communicator, "Xero, the download is complete, get out of there."

"Right" she whispered as she turned back to Malcolm and Zero. "Wait!"

Malcolm turned before he could strike him with the crowbar.

"I would like to deal the first blow" Xero said.

Malcolm looked at her unsure. "All right, but make it quick. If we don't hurry we'll soon be in waist deep water."

She grabbed the crowbar and looked Zero in the eyes. Without wasting another second Xero pulled out her flamethrower, set to full blast, and started to melt his chains from one of his arms.

Malcolm was struck by the unfamiliar flamethrower. "Impostor!" he yelled, his face red with anger. He quickly grabbed a dagger from the counter and rushed to Xero.

"Watch out" Zero warned as he pulled at the weakened chain and wrapped his arm around Xero, using the newly detached cuff on his wrist to brace against the dagger.

Malcolm tried again aiming for Xero's leg, only to be stuck in the gut by Zero's newly freed leg. Malcolm grunted in anger as he stumbled back. He watched in frustration as he saw all but one chain melted. "NOO!", he yelled as he rushed at them again.

As soon as Zero's 2nd last wrist chain melted he lodged Malcolm's dagger in the key slot, flinging it up in the air.

Quickly Xero turned away from Zero and uppercutted the former agent.

As Malcolm laid on the floor, the dagger landed centimeters from his face.

"You were pretty good with those cuffs," Xero said as she turned back to Zero. "You should keep them"

"I don't think so. I'm not one for jewelry", Zero said.

They both looked at each other for a moment in silence, his arm still around her as though Malcolm would get back up.

Before either one of them could say anything the door swung open. "Guys!" Mole yelled, "we have a problem!"

* * *

The trio looked at the map and the X mark.

"Waist deep in water, like Malcolm said," Xero said gravely.

"The mayor's gift to the people," Zero said with dread.

"The heart of the city," Mole said in alarm.

"Forgo City's hydroelectric dam," the trio said in unison.

"AND THEY'RE GOING TO BLOW IT UP IN HALF AN HOUR," Mole yelled as he started to panic.


	29. Chapter 29:Dambusters

"Where's Mole?" Susan asked as she pulled over the Modi-mobile.

"We got no time to explain," Zero said as he swung open the door and the duo jumped in.

Before anymore words could be exchanged Susan turned the key, shutting off the ignition and turned around to the duo. "We got time now. Talk."

They both looked at her surprised and shock. "Vein is about to blow up the mayor's dam; If we hurry we can stop this catastrophic flooding," Zero said.

"We sent Mole will all the info, fingerprints and whatever we can find in Vein's computer, to clear our names and to retrieve us some back up," Xero added.

"But we have only 25 minutes before Forgo City will be 'knee deep in water,'" the duo said breathing deeply, exhausted from explaining all they could.

"Alright," Susan said nonchalantly as she turned back and started up the car.

* * *

Zack rolled more of the destination charge around the support pillar, more gunpowder residue building up on his hands. He then looked up at the catwalks, "Hey, why don't you come down here and give me a hand!" he yelled up to the Duke of Pherome.

"That's the last thing you want from me boy," he said, his breath so toxic it turned into flames when it made contact with oxygen. "We don't want the 'fireworks' to go off early."

"What about your partners then!" Zack yelled.

"I'm supervising," yelled the Count of Odgensvelt.

"And I'm supervising the supervisor," yelled the Good sir Phelchngnam, Emerald diamond within his boney fingers. "Of course you are short a hand," he said sarcastically, causing the whole group but Zack to laugh.

He turned his back to the trio and mumbled words of hate.

* * *

The Modi-mobile stopped about 5 meters from the entrance of the Forgo City Hydroelectric Dam.

"One way in, one way out," Susan said as she looked out the windshield of her car. "You know if Mole was here he probably would tell you guys to 'hold up until you have a plan.'"

"There's no time," Xero said, "Zero and I can handle this."

"And what about me?" Susan asked.

"If what Malcolm says is true, and the mayor is inside there, were going to need a quick getaway," Zero said as calm as he could as he and Xero got out of the car.

The duo quickly made their way to the side of the entrance; Zero attached and shot the grappling hook from his cold gun.

Xero wrapped her arms around his neck. "Ready?" she asked.

"Nope," he said as the gun started to pull them over the wall of the dam.

The partners looked at the destination charge running along the railings and back down to the support pillars.

"They're remotely set," Zero noted as he observed one.

"Can you deactivate them?" Xero asked.

"Yea, but I'll have to do it one by one, and we still need to find the mayor."

"Right" they said in unison as they both. The duo split into different directions. "Wait!" they both said, coming back together like magnets.

"Your wire cutters are here" she said retrieving them from a side pouch.

"And you'll be needing this," he said draping his kevlar coat over her shoulders. "Just in case."

Before she could object he ran off, wire cutters in hand.


	30. Chapter 30: Choices

Rat ran through the halls carrying extra detonation charges, mumbling as he passed. "So little time left. Too much still to be done. And where are Lacey and Zack? Probably fighting about which one of them is going to blow up this dam."

As he kept on running, he failing to notice the figure hidden within the shadows down the hall.

* * *

Xero watch as he ran by and took a deep breath, unsure weather this crude plan would work. "I hope Zero doing alright, cause if Rat is smarter than he looks-" she stopped mid sentence and pushed that thought out of her head. "This has to work."

She stepped out out, twirling as she left the shadows , hoping this would be the last time she would have to use this disguise. "Rat!" she yelled as loud as she could.

Rat turned, and within a second she had closed the distance between them until he face to face with an angry Lacey Shadows.

"Where is the mayor," she demanded.

He looked at her baffled. "Where's he's been since we got here."

"Tell me where Zack moved him then, you sniveling rodent," she said pointing her flamethrower at his face.

"What are you doing," he said panicking. "Nobody has moved him from the generator room."

"Which one!"

"R13!" he yelled with pure fear in his voice.

He suddenly noticed something. Something subtle, but a clear give away. He noticed the white and pink flamethrower.

"What have I done! You're not Lacey! You're Agent-" before he could utter another word, Xero hit him with the butt of her gun, knocking him out instantly. "Oops," she said sarcastically.

* * *

Zero looked at the bomb carefully, the lid off to the side, exposed wires staring back at him.

"Choices, choices, choices," he said looking at the colored wires; blue, red, yellow, and black and yellow stripped. He wiped the sweat off of his forehead as he sat down on his 1st of many bombs.

"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe," he said slowly, his mind racing as he tried to think of the best way to go about this. He moved his tweezers slowly to the red wire. "It has to be the red wire. It's always the red wire."

He hesitated from clipping the wire as he felt his mind shift elsewhere.

"Xero," he whispered as he moved his tweezers away from the red wire and instead towards the blue wire.

* * *

Xero slowly opened the door to generator R13, the only room without a running generator. Xero looked towards the large device circular device and quickly noticed mayor Warheart chained and gagged next to it. She rushed to Vein's captive.

"Mr. Mayor, we're here to rescue you," Xero said removing his gag.

"Who are you," the mayor asked, shock and joy crawling across his face.

"She's nothing more than a pathetic, naive, fool," a all too familiar voice said behind them. "Something I was not to long ago."

Xero slowly stood up and faced her.

Lacey stared back at her, her eyes glued onto Xero's borrowed coat. "And here I was, thinking you were Zero because of that coat. Obviously I made the wrong choice thinking that Zero would come to the mayor's rescue. Hopefully Zack won't damage him too much."

"Noo" Xero said as the reality of her words sank in. She quickly tried to rush past Lacey, only to be pushed back. "Lacey please let me through," she pleaded on her knees, "Zero's in trouble. Zack is going to kill him!"

Xero saw as her words had a small effect on her, but one that did not last. "If he dies, he dies," she said getting into a fighting stance, her hands bunched up in fist in front of her.

Xero got up, her eyes misty, as she got into a ready stance. "And you call yourself human."

* * *

Inside generator R7, Zero continued to toil with defusing his 6th bomb. "Just one more left," he said as he looked at the sign on the lid. 6/7.

Suddenly the power generator powered down, its sound coming to a screeching stop.

He clipped the wire as he heard the door open behind him.

"Zero," a familiar voice called out from behind him.


	31. Chapter 31: Villainous Wrath

"Zero!" a familiar voice said behind him.

Zero turned and smiled. "You're just in time, I just deactivated this bomb. Just one left," he said to Katz.

"We have a more pressing issue; Xero is fighting against Lacey, and I'm afraid she may not win this fight," he said solemnly.

"How do you know this?" Zero asked.

"Because it's happening right now outside that window," he explained.

Zero quickly ran and peered out the small window, frantically trying to find his partner, his friend. "I don't see them. Where are they?"

Without warning Katz suddenly grabbed him by his hair and slammed it through the window. Zero was then thrown back, a fresh gash on top of his scalp. He winced as he felt his scalp, and as he pulled his hand back from it he saw his own blood.

Then he saw it. His original Morph belt.

"You know," Katz said coldly, "I would have came here as Xero. Unfortunately you never scanned her into the belt. Can't say I would have done the same," he said changing back to Zack.

Before Zero could get up Zack rushed to him and kicked him in the side several times.

As Zero withered in pain, Zack took the opportunity to bend down to his enemy. "You're not going to need this," he said pulling away his cold gun. "Any regrets before you die?" he asked.

"Only 3," Zero said still clinging his side. "Creating that belt and not arresting you after our fight in the clock tower. Of course handcuffing you would have been a little difficult," he said dryly, his eyes on Zack's bionic hand.

Zack's smile instantly left and he got back up to kick him again.

This time Zero grabbed onto Zack's leg and with equal force pushed him back, giving himself enough time to get back up on his feet.

* * *

Xero felt all the air leave her lungs as Lacey kicked her against a wall.

"Lacey listen to me," Xero pleaded as Lacey continued to throw punch after punch, "Don't do this, let me out of here. Let me stop Vein's plot. Prove that you are still a good person. That WE are still a good person. What would our parents want us to do?" Xero asked.

Lacey didn't slow down her assault, if anything it intensified.

"Enough with that parent's bull!" Lacey screamed, "If they actually cared about YOU they wouldn't have abandoned YOU. They are not my parents!"

As she said this she landed a blow on Xero side. "Vein and his gang are my family now," she said.

"Lacey!" Xero continued, still hoping that she could turn, "Vein and his gang are monsters!"

Lacey didn't bat an eye, "From my point of view Katz and his precious Modifyers are monsters!"

"Well then you truly are lost. We are different people."

* * *

Zack threw a punch only to strike at nothing as Zero ducked and socked him in the chest twice and on the chin once, his hits appearing to have no effect. As Zero threw his next punch Zack threw one just like it, their fist colliding together, but only one of them had a bionic hand.

Zero recoiled his hand in pain, and in that moment of distraction, Zack grabbed and lifted Zero over his head and slammed him down on the floor, crushing the air out of his lungs.

Before Zero could get back up Zack was over him, both his hands over his windpipe, squeezing all the air he could out of him. Zero struggled as he pulled at Zack's arms, his attempts futile, his head beaming light.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw hope, he saw his cold gun just out of reach. He stretched his arm out as far as he could, Zack's iron grip becoming stronger.

* * *

Lacey continued to throw wild punches, one after another at Xero. Xero continued to block blow after blow, but Lacey's pressing attack was causing her to give up ground, step after step.

Without warning Xero felt the power generator bump behind her and instinctively shifted her head, unsure weather it was another attacker. Within that moment of confusion, Lacey quick reflexes took the golden opportunity.

Lacey struck Xero on the gut, causing her to lean forward, and she was then meet with Lacey's knee to the face.

Xero swayed stund from the blow and collapsed to the floor.

Lacey grabbed her by the collar. "Don't worry. I'm sure no one will miss you at all," she said coldly.

Before she could strike Xero again, Lacey felt a sharp kick to her calf. She turned to the bound mayor. She then turned back to Xero. "You will die. But after Zero. I promise you that," she said as she turned back to the mayor.

Lacey dropped Xero, her head still dizzy, her eyes stinging with tears. The mayor right in front of her, about to face the wrath of Lacey.


	32. Chapter 32: Saving The Mayor

**Zero stretched as far as his arm could go, his middle finger barely touching the palm grip of his cold gun.**

 **"Close your eyes," Zack said, his grip tightening.**

 **"Ie-ie-ie," Zero said, struggling to choke out his final words.**

 **Zack grip loosened ever so slightly, just enough so he could hear him clearly.**

 **"I got a gun," Zero said his voice a thin whisper.**

 **Zack looked down and saw the gun pointed right at him, and before he could move, he was shot.**

 **An icicle pierced, not through him, but through the Morph belt. Zack quickly got back up and pulled the icicle out, sparks emitting from the gaping hole. "What have you done!" he yelled, pressing any and every button he could.**

 **Zero slowly stood up and leaned against the generator, a sad, but satisfied smile on his face. "I have destroyed the one and only deluxe Morph belt. If I had known someone like you would use it the way you did, I would never have made it in the first place."**

 **Zack turned back to his enemy, a new raw anger was burning in his eyes, and without warning he threw all his energy into one punch.**

 **Zero's face turned from a satisfied smile to shock as he instinctively lunged to the side, narrowly avoiding the devastating punch.**

 **Unfortunately, Zacks momentum and close proximity put his fist into a collision course with the power generator.**

 **His bionic hand smashed through the generator like tin foil. The belt continued to throw sparks everywhere, accidentally jump starting the generator to life.**

 **Zack let out a deathly scream as the lights within the whole building started to flicker. Wave after wave of electricity washed over him. Zero could only watch in horror as the one time Modifyer agent was being electrocuted in front of him.**

 **As soon as it had started it had stopped. The generator had no more power to give, and Zack's screaming had stopped. What was left of him collapsed on the floor.**

 **"I'm so sorry," Zero said as he he closed the eyes of the charred remains.**

 **He holstered his cold gun and ran out the door in search of the last bomb.**

 **He failed to see the slightest movement of the bionic hand.**

* * *

 **Lacey grabbed the mayor by the hair. "You have already used up your value. Living WAS just a luxury," she said as she pulled out her flamethrower.**

 **Before she could pull the trigger Xero lunged at her.**

 **"No more Lacey!" Xero said as she tackled her to the floor. "You've threatened a duly elected official," she said as she punched her in the side. "You've threatened me," she said as she smacked her across the face. "And you've threatened my family," Xero said as she grabbed Lacey by the collar and head butted her out cold.**

 **Xero got up and pulled out her flamethrower, aimed at the mayor's cuffs, melting them within moments.**

 **They both looked around as the lights flickered within the whole building.**

 **"Let's get out of here," she said to the mayor.**

 **"But...," he said pointing to his broken leg.**

* * *

 **Lacey opened her eyes, now yellow with red pupils, like Vein's. She got up and ran out of the deserted room.**

* * *

 **Xero ran as fast as she could, the mayor arm around her shoulders as he tried to run, or limp, his way up the flight of stairs.**

 **"Xero!"**

 **She stopped and turned to see Zero running behind them. "Oh my," she said as she reached for his scalp gash.**

 **He held her hand before she could touch his cut. "I'm alright," he said as he reached for her purpling bruise. "I was more worried about you."**

 **"Nothing a little TLC can't fix," she said wincing but not backing away from his touch.**

 **They looked at each other for a long moment.**

 **"Your guys reunion is sweet and all," the mayor interrupted, "but we do need to get out of here."**

 **As they continue their run, making quicker time a duo, Xero asked, "Were you able to deactivated all the bombs?"**

 **"Like you even had to ask," he said reassuringly.**

* * *

 **Vein slammed his fist on the controls, destroying them with only a few strikes.**

 **The good sir, the Count, the Duke, and Lacey watched as Vein continued to bash the controls, making steel look like tin foil.**

 **"Where's Rat!" he demanded.**

 **"Out cold," came a response from the quartet.**

 **"Zackery?"**

 **"Defeated beyond repair."**

 **"And the bombs?"**

 **"Decommissioned and tampered beyond repair."**

 **"And the mayor?"**

 **"On the run."**

 **Lacey stepped out of the line. "Father, let me deal with them personally. I can catch them myself. I could even 'dispose' them without breaking a sweat."**

 **"Like you did with Xero?" he said coldly. Vein then turned to the Count. "Give me your gun."**

 **He obeyed as he pulled out a concealed pistol from his cost and passed it to him. Vein removed all but one bullet. He then passed it to Lacey.**

 **"One shot, one chance. Do not waste it," he told her.**

 **"Thank you Father," she said as she ran out.**

 **Vein turned to the others. "Prepare to depart. It won't be long before more Modifyer dogs arrive," he said as he left the room.**

* * *

 **Xero and Zero ran, the mayor's arm's around both of their shoulders, the front entrance ahead, unguarded, unlocked. The cool breeze feeling like a cold glass of water.**

 **"Thank goodness you showed up when you did," she said to him. "We still be inside hobbling up the first steps."**

 **"I'm sure you would have found another way'" he said, a warm grin across his face.**

 **Xero looked ahead again. A smile coming to her cheeks. "We're almost home," she whispered.**

 **The trio were so excited to escape; they all failed to hear the click and only heard the "BANG."**

 **Xero suddenly stopped in her tracks and saw blood.**

 **"Oh. No."**


	33. Chapter 33: Agent Down

Xero stopped after hearing the boom and looked down in shock, and saw blood. But not her own. She was fine, if anything more protected than anyone else thanks to Zero's kevlar coat.

She then turned to the mayor, but he was looking to his other side, away from her and at Zero.

Zero had stopped running like everyone else, but he now had a shocked look on his face. "Xero…" he whispered as she and the mayor looked as the red bloch continued to spread over his shirt and vest.

Without any warning he collapsed on the floor, his back against the dam's railing.

Xero kneeled down beside him, "Come on, We're almost out of here," she begged tugging at his arm.

He turned his head and saw Lacey slowly walking towards them.

"Xero," he said turning back to her, "you need to get the mayor out of here."

"I'm not leaving without you!" she yelled.

"You're not. Get him to Susan and the Modi-mobile and then you can come back for me."

Xero wiped away tears that started to stream down. "You're a terrible liar."

"And you have a mission to complete," he reminded her.

"WE," she corrected. "WE have a mission to complete."

"Please, you have no time to argue with me." he pleaded.

She could see the hurt and dread in his face. "I will come back for you."

Zero turned and saw Lacey still walking towards them. "Now, run Xero."

Xero quickly scooped up the mayor and ran. She ran with all her heart, ignoring her already aching body.

Zero watched as she ran. "Good luck," he said as he saw her run out the entrance. He unholster his cold gun and pointed it at his wound to try and stopping the bleeding. He winced as the cold numbed his pain.

He tried to stand up, using the railing for support.

Lacey walked up to him, her eyes now yellow with red pupils. "Tell me where she is taking him," she demanded.

"Lacey, please stop," he said pointing his cold gun at her.

"Or else what? You'll shoot me?"

Zero felt his arm tremble.

"You don't have it in you" she said mockingly. "Now step aside," she said stepping past him. Before she could get a foot away from him, she heard a whooshing sound. Like lightning she turned and snached the icicle from the air. She quickly closed the distance and slammed the icicle into his shoulder.

He let out a scream of pain, all the while bringing up his cold gun again. Before he could bring it all the way up, Lacey grabbed him by the wrist and twisted it until she heard a loud pop followed by another scream.

"I can't believe you tried to shoot me," she said sadly. "Now, you have given me no choice." Without hesitation she grabbed him by his collar and lifted him above and beyond the railing.

He pulled as hard as he could, but his body was too weak. His grip was weak and mute.

"I'm sorry," she said coldly.

"You had already made up your mind before you got here."

* * *

Xero ran as fast as she could with the mayor. Her lungs and legs stinging as though she had eaten a bee hive.

Susan got out of the Modi-mobile the moment she saw them. "Xero. Where is your partner. Where is Zero?"

Xero didn't answer her as she swung open the passenger door and dumped the mayor inside.

"Xero!" Susan said as she turned her towards her. "What happened?!"

Xero turned away from her. "Susan… I'm going back for him. If I'm not back in two minutes, leave without us."

Before Susan could argue with her, they heard a yell within the dam.

"Oh no," Xero said as she started to run back towards the building. Then she heard a second scream.

Her speed intensified, her body begging for a break, even just for a moment. But she ignored it.

She saw something she would never forget. "Zero!"

Lacey turned as she heard the scream and turned back to her victim, a sinister grin matching her eyes.

Zero just shook his head. "Please… don't"

"Don't drop you?"

"Don't hurt her," he pleaded.

A sneer came across her face.

And she let him go.

Lacey heard a scream and turned to its source. Xero. "Noo!" Xero yelled running to where Zero was. "Lacey what have you done!"

"I'm fulfilling a promise," she said behind her, "I'm releasing you and myself. Remember," Lacey said wickedly, "Modifyer agents aren't supposed to form emotional attachments." She then brought her hands back up into a fighting position. "Let's end this. Right here, right now."

Xero looked over the edge of the dam, her eyes darting all around. 'Is it possible' she thought. "Let's" Xero said.

Without hesitation, Xero punched her in the gut causing her to fall over.

Xero ran away from her, stopping suddenly and running back, using Lacey's back as a launchpad, jumping over the railing into the ice cold water.

Lacey watched as her enemy fell. "First he will die. Then you will follow."

"You have done well," Vein said behind her, "But it's time to retreat."

Lacey looked over the railing looking for any moment. "Yes father," she said retreating.


	34. Chapter 34: The Poppyfield's

Xero bursted from under the water gasping for breath. "Zero… Zero… Zero!" she yelled, searching frantically. "This isn't how it's supposed to end," she said to herself. "Zer-"

She stopped as soon as she heard the faint moan in the distance. She quickly swam to the sound. Towards her partner, her friend, her family.

And she found him. She found him, his back faced to her, draped over a piece of driftwood.

"Zero!" she yelled as she draped his arm over her and quickly swam to shore. "Stay with me," she begged as they reached the shore.

She collapsed onto the muddy ground besides him and placed his icy, clammy hands into her own.

"Stay with me, stay with me," she repeated as she pulled out her flamethrower. She pulled the trigger but it refused to start. "Of course your not water resistant," she said tossing it to her side.

She then wrapped herself around him. "I know I ain't a blanket, but you're going to die of hyperthermia if I do nothing."

"Xero…" she heard him mumble.

Her heart skipped a beat. "YEA, YEA, "she said excited to hear him respond. "I'm alright, your…" she looked at his twisted arm and gunshot wound, "going to be alright. I promise." She said determinedly.

She moved a hand over his heart and felt an erratic heart beat.

"You know, you still owe me a favor. It's time to cash it in…" she waited in silence hoping he would respond. "Please don't leave me."

Suddenly several bright lights washed over them.

Xero quickly picked up her flamethrower and pointed it towards the center light. "No! Go away!" she demanded, fearing Lacey and Vein had found them.

She watched as a silhouette walked in front of the light.

"Don't come any closer."

The silhouette didn't appear to hear her as it stepped closer.

"You will not take him away from me!" Xero yelled clinging onto Zero as hard as she could.

"Xero lower down your weapon," a familiar voice said.

She felt her whole body go limp, but her flamethrower didn't go down. "Katz."

* * *

He opened his eyes and tried to pull against the straps keeping him bound to the grimy table. He failed miserably. He tried to kick the closest figure circling around him. He failed. He tried to scream, but he couldn't even move his jaw. He could only look up and hear voices around him.

"Why are we even bothering with him. He's paralyzed from the hair down," Lacey recognizable voice said.

"You be surprised. True evil usually comes from our lowest moments. After we are beaten. Even broken. A pivotal moment in one's life that changes everything. Do or die. Vengeance as fuel, hatred as powerful as a hammer to glass. A power that gives one man the strength of 20." Vein then looked over Zack. "But we'll give him the choice. Do or die."

Zack's eyes and clenched mechanical hand gave Vein his answer.

* * *

Zero awoke laying in bed, in a sterile white room, and sitting in a chair next to the bed was Xero.

She jumped out of her chair the moment he opened his eyes.

"Xer-" he was instantly cut off by her hug. After a moment he tried again. "Xero," he said gently trying to pull her off to no avail as she refused to let go, "What happened?"

After a few minutes she finally said, "You're ok. Thats what happened."

"Hello," a new voice said appeared, causing Xero to jump nearly a foot away from Zero.

Xero turned to the voice at the door frame. "Niki, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I'm just here to check on the patients stats," she said grabbing the clipboard. "Katz requires that I do so. You know so he has an idea how long he'll be off the field," she said reading the info. "You wrote nothing under last name."

"Don't have one," he explained.

"Right," she said already starting for the exit, "I'll just put down Poppyfield then."

Xero quickly ran at her, but before she even reached the door, Niki ran out of sight.

Zero looked at her tomato red face, "Poppyfield?"

Xero mumbled something inaudible.

"Xero…"

"It's my last name," she said hiding her blush behind her hand.

"Oh," he said category. He then looked at her with a disarming smile. "Xero Poppyfield, if it bothers you too much I'll talk to Niki about changing it tomorrow."

She looked at him sheepishly. "No, you don't have to do that," she said to quickly, "You do need a last name, you know for future paperwork, and Zero Poppyfield does have a nice ring to it. Which reminds me…" She ran out the room and down the hallway and when she returned she had a film projector, the film Casablanca, and waffles.

"Now," she said, "can you please scoot over. That chair is uncomfortable to sit on."

Zero looked at her with a sarcastic smile, "Oh I would but you did you did forget the whip cream, and waffles are nothing without whip cream."

Before he could even blink she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a thin can of whip cream. "Nice try, now scoot over," she said as she jumped into bed besides him, film project already running.

He wrapped the blanket around the both of them, and she turned to him and said, "Here's looking at you kid," as the film began to play.


	35. Chapter 35: The Next Mission

Susan sat in her house, in a room that was locked to all but her, on a tiny bed that had belonged to her child, a film playing on a loop again and again.

"Robert" she had once said, "he looks just like you."

"He better not," he said comedicaly, "Cause there's only one of you in the world."

"You'll just have to learn to share," she shot back.

He then brought the both of them into his arms. "I have a family," he said happily between tears of joy.

Susan turned towards the doorway.

"How did you figure it out," Katz asked behind her.

"Even now, he still looks like him," she said coldly.

"Susan, listen to me," Katz begged, "I've found them. I've found the Poppyfield's."

She turned to him baffled. "How!?"

"Xero's MOLE unit was able to get into Vein's computer system and download the files."

Susan looked away unsure.

"Help me save them," he continued, "Help me save our friends. And… then I'll help you."

Susan looked at him skeptically.

"Doesn't Xero deserve a happy ending too?" he asked.

Susan looked at him with tired eyes, "Final mission," she said with no room for argument. "My rules."

Katz reluctantly shook his head in agreement.

"When do we begin?" She asked.

Author Note: The Modifyers will return in 2/?/18

ENJOY THE NEW YEAR!


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